Talkin Sport - STRONG AUSTRALIAN & NZ FLAVOUR TO 2008 SINGAPORE DERBY

Sportingbet Australia is betting on the $1,000,000 GROUP 1 EMIRATES SINGAPORE DERBY. The feature race on Sunday July 13 is the held over 2000m on the turf track at Kranji Racecourse, Singapore.

This year there is a distinctly Australian and NZ flavour about the Derby with the even money ($2) favourite TOP SPIN, bred by WOODLANDS STUD in NSW, and ridden by Australian hoop Noel Callow. Callow is no stranger to Derby success having won the VRC Derby aboard BENICIO in 2005 for Lee Freedman.

Sportingbet Australia punters are excited about the Laurie Laxon trained TOP SPIN, (by ARENA out of the STRATEGIC mare GAS). It has contested 6 successive Group races leading into the Derby on Sunday, having won 4 of the 6 and being unplaced in just one of those runs. He won his last start, the DERBY TRIAL, almost 3 weeks ago by 2-1/4L beating stablemate ACE AND ACES ($7.50) with FANTASTIC OWNERS ($13) filling the minor placing.

Australian Danny Beasley partners outsider KING OF HONOUR ($41) for trainer Stephen Gray, who has 2 entries this year, whilst fellow countryman Laurie Laxon trains 4 runners giving the NZ pair 6 of the 13 runners in 2008.

Michael Freedman, brother of champion Australian trainer Lee Freedman, saddles up former Victorian galloper STEDMAN ($7.50) who was previously trained by Rodney Douglas. STEDMAN stretched GALLOPIN to within ¾L on Oaks Day at Flemington last year. John Powell retains the ride after winning a Class 3 event on the son of WA sire SECOND EMPIRE last start. Freedman has hit the ground running after only a few short months training in Singapore and is set to launch a stellar career on Singapore soil.