Gray confident of a good showing from Pratt Street on Friday night after easy trial win

He might not be ready to win but Singapore trainer Stephen Gray is expecting a good run from Pratt Street in his first start from his Copper Belt stables at Kranji on Friday night.

Gray says Pratt Street’s easy winning trial two weeks ago convinced him to go straight to the races instead of trialling again.

Pratt Street has not raced since he bled when fourth in his last start last November and Gray says he has deliberately taken the six-year-old along quietly since he was transferred from Bruce Marsh’s stable.

“Knowing he’s bled I just wanted to make sure he was really fit and the way he trialled told me he was ready to go round.’’

Pratt Street sat three wide on the pace in his 1000 metre trial on May 14 and apprentice rider Abdul Syahir, who rode hands and heels, reported he cruised home to score easily.

“He’s a lovely horse with a great temperament and he looks fantastic,’’ says Gray.

“His 12 draw doesn’t help but on the polytrack it probably doesn’t matter so much. He gets back anyway and there’s no kickback out there so it will give him a chance to get over the top of them late.

“His best runs have been when he’s relaxed and come with the last run.

“I don’t know if he can win but in class four he’s at a level where he’s quite competitive.’’

Pratt Street has a modest record of two wins and eight placings from 31 starts. His last win was in August, 2017, four placings the best he has managed in his last 11 starts.

Gray says he would have preferred to race On The Razz on grass but he instead tackles 1600 metres on the polytrack in the fifth race.

On The Razz beat only four home in his first run for Gray on May 5 but he had excuses.

“The run was OK, considering he hadn’t raced for a long time,’’ says Gray. “He had to go back from a wide draw and was making nice ground at the finish. If he’d had a draw he would have been closer.

“This horse has settled down a lot, he does try, and he’s working well.

“We’ll give him two or three races and give him the opportunity to show what he can do. I’m not sure if he’s good enough to pay his way but he’ll get $1300 for going round on Friday and that helps.

“If he doesn’t go any good after a few starts he’ll have to go.’’

On The Razz has run 12th, 14th, seventh and 10th in his four starts, the closest he has got to the winner, 7.7 lengths, at his last start.

On Saturday night, at 7.45pm NZ time, Shane Baertschiger lines up Silent Prince looking for an improved performance in a S$50,000 class four race over 1400 metres.

Silent Prince was eased after beating only four home in his resuming run in March and he has been prepared for Saturday with one quiet trial on May 24.

Silent Prince, a two-race winner, last scored six starts back in August over 1600 metres, taking his bankroll to S$91,518 from 20 starts.