Tyreel Stud

Singapore’s champion sprinter Rocket Man makes his long awaited return to the racetrack in the $125,000 Kranji Stakes A over 1200m on the Polytrack on Sunday.

Rocket Man drew barrier six in the eight horse field and will be ridden by Robbie Fradd who makes his return from suspension.

Trainer Patrick Shaw had been in two minds about starting the gelding on Sunday as he was worried about the four-year-old’s fitness following the second of two barrier trials back on January 26.

Rocket Man and Robbie Fradd winning last year's Group 1 Lion City Cup. Rocket Man returned from that trial blowing quite heavily and Shaw reasoned that the gelding was still above his optimum racing weight.

The gelding had a solid gallop on Tuesday morning after which Shaw elected to press ahead with plans to race Rocket Man on Sunday.

While still above his racing weight, Shaw said the gelding needed a race to get him back into racing trim.

“He’s still up in weight and he had a good blow after his work on Tuesday,” said Shaw. “We had him x-rayed following the work and he’s been given the all-clear to race.

“He’s a bit like a boxer. You can do all the work in the ring, but it is not like getting into the fight.

“He needs some racing now to bring him to his top.”

Rocket Man, who has been back in work since mid-November, was sidelined with a condylar fracture of the off-side cannon bone which was subsequently operated on with screws inserted.

A winner at his first seven starts, Rocket Man hasn’t raced since finishing second to Sacred Kingdom in the Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint over 1200m on May 17.

He has had two trials, winning both comfortably in preparation for his return, on January 14 and January 26, the latest breaking the one minute barrier for the 1000m journey on the Polytrack.

Rocket Man’s immediate goal is the US$2 million Group 1 Golden Shaheen over 1200m on the Tapeta track in Dubai on World Cup night – March 27 – before returning to contest the $1 million Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint over 1200m on May 16.

Shaw said he would wait and see how Rocket Man pulls-up from Sunday’s race before considering his options with the four-year-old.

“Naturally the Dubai race is our focus but we’ll wait and see how he comes through Sunday’s race first,” said Shaw.

“There is a race in Dubai on March 4 that could be a possibility for him, but I would prefer to keep him here for as long as possible, especially if he has to travel over on his own.

“There is the possibility of him having another race here, or we’ll just give him another couple of trials before we go to Dubai.

“We will just monitor him after Sunday’s race and make a decision from there.”

Following his Dubai excursion, Rocket Man will return to Singapore where he will go into the KrisFlyer Sprint without another run. Shaw said the gelding will spend two weeks in quarantine before relocating to his barn.

“He won’t have to miss any work,” said Shaw. “We will be able to work him whilst he’s in quarantine here at the track.

“I would say after Dubai he won’t have another run, just a couple of trials to have him at his peak for the KrisFlyer.”

Rocket Man has won seven of his eight starts to date and a win on Sunday will take him one step closer to crossing the magical $1 million barrier, at which he already boasts prizemoney in excess of $890,000.