Lincoln Road all paved and ready
All the action from yesterday's trackwork from Kranji
If you're counting off the months since Lincoln Road last won a race, you would run out of fingers on both hands.
After all, its been 13 months since the six-year-old last visited the winners' circle at Kranji.
But we reckon he is running in some kind of form and his workout yesterday morning would have warmed the hearts of his connections.
Taken out by John Powell, Lincoln Road was striding out nicely at the end of a 600m hit-out which he covered in 37.3sec. He had stablemate Ladrone (Matt Kellady) for company.
Back to Lincoln Road's long absence from the winning box. The last time he saluted was on May 5, 2017.
That was in a high-end Kranji Stakes A race over the 1,100m and he did it in fine style, beating his rivals by almost three lengths after holding second spot for most of the trip.
Lincoln Road had an illustrious start to his career which began in the third quarter of 2015. He captured our imagination when he stayed unbeaten in his first five starts beginning in October 2015 until June the following year.
In the eyes of punters, he was their personal ATM.
Indeed, even after he failed to make it six off the bounce - he finished third in his sixth start - he kept filling up the kitty with four seconds, a third and a fourth before picking up that win in May last year.
His trainer Shane Baertschiger has been patient with the Lincoln Farm Stable-owned galloper and, now that the finishing touches seem to have gone on, Lincoln Road should figure prominently at the business end of Race 7 on Sunday.
SPEEDY DRAGON
Also on Sunday, Speedy Dragon could make his presence felt in Race 5.
He produced a good turn of foot in his workout, running the 600m in 37.9sec. Kellady was in the saddle and they had Flak Jacket (Powell) for company.
A nice-looking American-bred chestnut, Speedy Dragon only recently took up residence in Baertschiger's barn.
Before that he was under the care of trainer David Kok, who was responsible for all of his seven victories going back to December 2014.
An honest sort and a regular moneyspinner, Speedy Dragon last won on Jan 1 when he took the New Year's Cup in convincing fashion.
That day he snuffed out the challenges from a talented lot to win with a leg in the air. The race was over the 1,200m and on the alternate surface. He gets the same conditions on Sunday and should run a big race.
That said, so too will Royal Ruler.
Owned by Tmen Stable, he was sent out with Rafaello for a 600m spin in 36.4sec. While Rafaello (Barend Vorster) seemed to be going better, Royal Ruler (Nooresh Juglall) looked to be holding that last-start winning form.
Indeed, it wouldn't surprise me if the Ricardo Le Grange-trained runner puts together a race-to-race double.
His win on May 20 when he beat Al Green in a fighting finish was full of merit and, if he brings his A-game to the races, he could be a serious competitor.
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