Before Eddie Lynam targets classic glory with Viztoria in Sunday week’s Irish 1,000 Guineas, the Co Meath-based trainer will aim Balmont Mast at big-race success on the other side of the world in Singapore this weekend.
Balmont Mast flies the Irish flag in the lucrative KrisFlyer Sprint at the Kranji track this Sunday on the back of a productive spell in Dubai which culminated with a runner-up placing in the Golden Shaheen on World Cup night. Unusually for an Irish horse going overseas, it is a return to turf racing that is causing Lynam some concern as Balmont Mast’s best efforts to date have come on the all-weather.
“He’s travelled very well here and lost around 10kg, which is not much as he was already 7kg overweight before we came, just to allow for the weight loss,” said Lynam yesterday.
“All’s good with him, but the only question mark is whether he will handle the grass as most of his racing has been on the all-weather and he ran second in the Golden Shaheen on Tapeta. But the good news is he likes going around bends and the KrisFlyer has two bends. There are only 11 horses and I won’t be greedy. A nice draw would be anything between one and six,” he added.
There is also likely to be significant Irish international interest in France this weekend with Thousand Stars set to take his chance in the Grade Two Prix La Barka at Auteuil, a warm-up for an attempt by the grey on a French Champion Hurdle hat-trick next month.
Willie Mullins has used the €175,000 Barka extensively in the past and also has the option of running So Young and Zaidpour in the race too.
Mullins has entries in a €130,000 Grade Three for four-year-olds on Sunday, including his Punchestown Grade One winner Diakali.
