Lucky Stride looks set to go one better
Bruce Marsh-trained 4YO works with gusto on the Kranji training track
If his gallop at Kranji yesterday is anything to go by, Lucky Stride looks ready to return to the winning list.
The Bruce Marsh-trained American-bred four-year-old worked with gusto with jockey Derreck David astride, covering 600m on a rain-soaked Polytrack in 39.1sec.
The chestnut gelding gave a couple of horses a few lengths headstart but was running home nicely under his own steam to finish level with them. He could have broken clear if David had not pulled up the handbrake.
It rained quite heavily when the tracks opened at 6am and trackwork soon came to a standstill for about an hour because of some flashes of lightning. The right-handed Track 6 was closed most of the time, even after being harrowed.
The rain rendered the track firm and you could hear loud pounding sounds during the gallops which, obviously, could cause injury to the horses.
That could be the reason why not many horses showed up to go against the clock yesterday, compared to normal Tuesday mornings.
BACK IN FORM
Back to Lucky Stride, the horse is obviously back in form and should give a top performance in Friday's Open Benchmark 67 event over the Polytrack 1,200m.
After two unplaced starts following his third success, Lucky Stride bounced back with a come-from-behind second to Dream Comes True over the Poly 1,100m.
In that Nov 3 race in a similar class as this Friday's, he carried a crippling 59kg on his averagely built (481kg) bodyframe. Yet, he lost by only half a length.
He now gets a 2kg reprieve, which will do him a lot of favours, but he is meeting a couple of nice types, namely Deimos and Kolombia, who trialled very well last week.
But, on yesterday's hit-out, Lucky Stride looks all primed to give his best shot and is worth, at least, each-way.
Trainer Lee Freedman's Nova Classic also showed zest in his gallop on the Polytrack.
The four-year-old gelding disposed of 600m in 35.6sec and pulled up full of running.
It is also evident that Nova Classic looks due for a win.
Last time out on Oct 8, he came in for support and finished fourth in an Open Maiden event over 1,200m and lost by about two-and-a-half lengths to smart debut winner Gold City.
A run previous on Sept 22, he beat all but Danzeb by half a length over the Poly 1,200m.
Those two good runs and yesterday's star hit-out should see him come up tops in Sunday's Initiation event over the Poly 1,100m.
Also mark down trainer CT Kuah's Amiability, who galloped impressively in 36sec.
Although the best he could offer so far were two thirds from nine starts, the five-year-old can rise to the occasion in Friday's Open Maiden event over the Poly 1,200m.
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