By PAUL GUEORGIEFF
SINGAPORE - Coping with the effects of travelling is half the battle for international racing and for that reason it is hard to go past Jim And Tonic and Silvano for tonight's $S3 million ($3.93 million) Singapore International Cup.
Jim And Tonic and Silvano are both seasoned campaigners on the international racing scene and there is no suggestion that either has not settled in well in Singapore.
Silvano was troubled with a bruised heel soon after arriving last Sunday but was well over that problem, said Simon Stokes, racing manager for the German-trained runner's owner.
"We took his shoe off for a couple of days but it's fine and the setback hasn't cost him anything," Stokes said.
"He's in the sort of form that he was in here in March and in Hong Kong."
Silvano beat Jim And Tonic at his last start when winning the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on April 22.
Before that Silvano had raced at Dubai in the United Arab Emirates when third in the $US2 million ($4.75 million) Dubai Sheema Classic.
Singaporeans are well aware of Silvano's capabilities . Prior to the Dubai race he scored a runaway 5 1/2 length win in the $S1 million Singapore Cup (2000m) on March 3.
Silvano's last four races have been in Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai.
Jim And Tonic has raced just once in his French homeland since winning the 1999 Hong Kong Cup. In that time he has raced four times in Hong Kong and once each in Singapore, France and Dubai.
In those seven starts he has not finished worse than third. As well as the Hong Kong Cup, he won the $US2 million Dubai Duty Free (1777m) on March 24 when New Zealand mare Sunline was third.
He was second to Singapore star Ouzo in last year's Singapore International Cup.
New Zealand will be represented by Hill Of Grace, whose prospects seem to be improving with each day.
Waikato trainer Robert Priscott said Hill Of Grace was a little off her feed soon after arriving but her work at the Kranji track yesterday pleased her Sydney jockey Corey Brown.
The Zabeel four-year-old mare also appeared on her toes in light exercise yesterday and she could well run a place tonight at what should be generous odds on the Singapore tote.
Another New Zealander, but officially representing Singapore, is Tapildo, winner of the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in January.
The other international race is the $S1 million Singapore Sprint, and most of the talk is for the British-trained Superior Premium, who has drawn well at two.
New Zealand-bred Plenty-Plenty out of the Ivan Allen stable in Hong Kong, is also rated highly.
A leading Singapore hope is New Zealand-bred Pacific Prince.
- NZPA
Racing: Class travellers ones to beat in Singapore
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