Scone preview: Local horseman Scott Singleton is eyeing a home-track haul as he unleashes a powerful team
Trainer Scott Singleton is on a hot streak and has the firepower to continue the stable’s good form at his home track of Scone with talented but frustrating gelding Spenzalot leading the charge.
Local trainer Scott Singleton is enjoying a hot run of success with including a home track double at the last Scone meeting and looks set for another big day with a strong team ready to fire.
Spenzalot has had mixed results in his 10 starts career including a last start disqualification when the jockey weighed in light.
Prior that, he resumed with a handy third over 1300m at Scone before consecutive fourth placings behind Cape Byron at Hawkesbury and Mount Bona at Scone.
Singleton remains confident in the gelding’s ability and feels he can bounce back in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1700m) with Aaron Bullock to ride for the first time.
“He hasn’t been an easy horse. He’s had a bit of bad luck; some he has created himself and some he hasn’t,” said Singleton.
Spenzalot comes from last to win Race 6 at Scone! Big win 👀 @singletonracingpic.twitter.com/7yWvIQvzDM
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 14, 2025
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“He missed the kick and got into an awkward spot in the race won by Mount Bona. I thought he was okay late.
“I’ve said it his past two starts but I’d be surprised if he’s not hard to beat. He just needs a couple of things to go right for him and unfortunately they didn’t.
“He pulled up well after his last run and he gets there this week in really good shape.
“On his ability, you would imagine he would be winning this race.”
Four-year-old mare Truce only made her race debut 24 days ago but did so in style with a nice win from Bellerata over 1000m at Scone.
She then finished a game second behind Athena’s Treasure over the same track at distance after racing on the speed in the middle of a line of three and hitting the front after straightening before the winner sprinted home over the top.
“I think the winner just really well to be honest. I was happy with my mare’s run. It was only her second start,” Singleton said.
“She toughed it out and was probably entitled to run third but she kicked back late to hold second.”
The daughter of Epaulette steps up a little in trip when she contests the Class 1 Handicap (1100m) with Reece Jones again on board.
Kantishna makes it back-to-back wins for @singletonracing! 👠pic.twitter.com/oMikyhYB5P
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 20, 2025
“She has come on again and keeps eating up so she is in great shape. She gets to this race in really good order.
“Reece was pleased with her and was happy to stick with her. He said to go up to 1100 metres with her and she finds herself in a race she will be pretty competitive in.”
Honest mare Kantishna was rewarded for her consistent form with a nice win at Tamworth last start.
A good draw and three kilo claim for Ella Drew holds her on good stead for the Class 3 Benchmark 66 Handicap (1000m).
“We just let her get back a couple of lengths off the speed the other day and it worked really well,” he said.
“It doesn’t look much stronger than a lot of the races she’s been in.
“Drawn a good gate, we can just let a couple go and get the right run to be a chance again.
“If she doesn’t win, I don’t imagine she will be far away.”
Singleton has been very patient in bringing along three-year-old gelding Magurtz who makes his race debut in the Maiden Plate (1000m).
“We’ve always liked him so we’ve taken our time and given him enough trials to have him at the races how we want him,” he said.
“He gets there fit enough if good enough so I’m expecting him to be hard enough to beat.”
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Luck hasn’t been on the side of Channelling in recent starts but trainer Edward O’Rourke has found the ideal race for her to record a well-deserved victory.
Channelling has placed runner-up in two of her five starts this campaign but according to O’Rourke, could easily has notched a win or two if for some unfortunate circumstances.
“She has probably been a bit stiff so far this preparation,” O’Rourke said.
“She got a bit far back in a slowly run race at Hawkesbury when she ran fifth then Mitchell (Bell) lost his whip at the top of the straight and said that’s what cost them the win the day she ran second at Kembla at her next start.
“She was enormous last start when we backed her up eight days later in a Benchmark 64 at Rosehill and she was beaten two lengths.”
The form out of that race is very strong with The Mona Lisa having twice placed third in town since then on a Friday night at Canterbury and at Rosehill last Sunday while Virgil’s Gift, who was second, has since won on the Kensington.
Channelling wins the opener at Kembla with @G1TySchil in the saddle! 👠pic.twitter.com/p1RJCqNbgO
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 14, 2025
O’Rourke gave the daughter of Impending a little freshen-up and has found an ideal race in the Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1600m) where she drops to 55.5kg after carrying 58kg at Rosehill.
“With this race was a month away, I gave her a freshen up and she hasn’t missed a beat,” he said.
“Her gallops have been very good and she is as well as I can have her.
“She’s got a good barrier, Tyler (Schiller) knows her very well and the good track will suits her as she likes a firm deck.
“I’m looking forward to her going around.”
Stablemate Twin Turbo resumes from a spell in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m) and while O’Rourke has his sights on a return to city racing for the gelding, expects him to run a nice race first-up.
“He’s starting back with a view to getting him back into Midways on the faster tracks,” said O’Rourke.
“There’s a nice bunch of Midway races from the middle of January through to the end of February.
“He will improve a lot from this run and even his next run. He was very good last preparation third-up off a back-up so it’s a similar program for him this time in.
“He’s had two trials and is a bit further forward this time in. I’m very happy with him.”
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