Last-start winners look in fine fettle

On their strength of their workouts yesterday morning, two last-start winners look to be retaining their form and each could put together race-to-race doubles on Sunday.

We're talking about UNCLE LUCKY in Race 3 and REDOUBT in the fourth event.

Uncle Lucky had Craig Grylls on the reins for his workout and he ran the 600m in 38.90sec while Redoubt, who was ridden by Barend Vorster, cantered one round before picking up the pace to cover the 600m in 36.40sec.

Uncle Lucky, who is prepared by Bruce Marsh, led his rivals on a merry chase over the 1,100m last time out. He made every post a winning one to beat Lucky Boy by half a length.

That was only 13 days ago and the son of Showcasing has definitely not lost any of his lustre.

A three-time winner who will be having his 20th Kranji start this weekend, Uncle Lucky's two other victories were put together in August and December last year.

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However, the thing about Uncle Lucky is the fact that all three wins were against Class 5 opposition.

He seems to get the shivers when up against Class 4 rivals and has not made the board in all of his 11 attempts.

Then again, with just 52kg on his back and in a winnable sort of race, he could very well steal it over the sharp 1,000m.

As for Redoubt, he won his last start in almost similar fashion to Uncle Lucky - leading from go to whoa over the longer 1,600m journey.

That was in an Initiation on July 30 and it was his first visit to the winner's circle.

In recent times, Redoubt's campaign seems to have followed a rigid format.

A winning visit to the trials and a race the very next week.

We saw that on June 6 when he won a trial in 60.41sec and, 10 days later, he ran a good race to finish second in a Restricted Maiden event over the 1,200m.

He was back at the trials on June 29, winning in a time of 60.75sec. Ten days later, he ran a smack-up fourth behind Lim's Regard over the 1,200m.

The pattern followed on July 20. Redoubt won his trial by almost a length, clocking 60.41sec for the 1,000m. He then went to the races on July 30 where he beat Cai Poh Wang and Co. by a length over the mile.

Redoubt was at the trials on Aug 10. Needless to say, he came away victorious, beating Walking Thunder by almost a length while clocking a swift time of 60.09sec for the trip.

He goes to the races on Sunday. So how? We reckon he'll put in a fine show.

brian@sph.com.sg