What a flop! Takeover Target put in a rare poor performance in the KrisFlyer Sprint in Singapore. He was 4th one-out on the turn but was gone as soon as the field turned for home. Jockey Jay Ford says: 'It was a sub-par run...He was never travelling well for me.' The race went to Hong Kong's Sacred Kingdom ridden by Brett Prebble. He downed local champ Rocket Man in a thrilling finish. The pair fought it out over the last 200m with the winner prevailing by a neck. The race was run in a rec 67.8s

What a flop! Takeover Target put in a rare poor performance in the KrisFlyer Sprint in Singapore. He was 4th one-out on the turn but was gone as soon as the field turned for home. Jockey Jay Ford says: 'It was a sub-par run...He was never travelling well for me.' The race went to Hong Kong's Sacred Kingdom ridden by Brett Prebble. He downed local champ Rocket Man in a thrilling finish. The pair fought it out over the last 200m with the winner prevailing by a neck. The race was run in a rec 67.8s.

Brave effort...Pompeii Ruler could finish only 4th in the Singapore Airlines International Cup in Singapore but he ran a brave race. He loomed up to tackle for the lead turning into the straight but started to falter when the real pressure was applied. French horse Gloria de Campeao $37.60 kicked clear 200m out and just lasted to stave off a flying finish from the UK favorite Presvis who was last into the straight.

Latest Stradbroke betting...Betchoice has Ortensia the new fav at $8.00 (7/1) followed by All Silent and Bank Robber at $9.00, then Danleigh $10.00, Apache Cat and Black Piranha $11.00.

News snips...Brad Rawiller is booked to ride Melbourne Cup prospect Empires Choice in the Doomben 10,000...Trainer Bart Cummings will run both Empires Choice and Swick in Saturday's race. Both may tackle the Stradbroke Handicap two weeks later.

Local jockey Shane Scriven, who staved off retirement plans when winning the Lord Mayor's Cup and Doomben Cup last Saturday, has picked up the Doomben 10,000 ride on the Fred Kersley-trained Marasco. Like the Doomben Cup winner Scenic Shot, Marasco hails from Western Australia