Aim - Five from Five

The classy My Lucky Strike will seek to take his very impressive record to five wins from five starts at Kranji on Friday for Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker - the Singapore Turf Club reports:

Unbeaten three-year-old My Lucky Strike will look to extend his run to five wins on the trot this Friday.

The son of Charge Forward has been on a roll since making his Singapore debut for trainer Mark Walker on November 7, climbing from Initiation grade to Class 3 company in four outings from as many months.

Hints of ability had already surfaced at his handful of runs in Melbourne where he was prepared by Mornington trainer Matt Laurie for the same owners, the Lucky Stable. One second and a third as well as an impressive winning barrier trial at Cranbourne had “Singapore 3YO series” written all over him when he landed at Kranji but Walker has his feet firmly on the ground despite the cracking start.

My Lucky Strike (Manoel Nunes) is aiming for a fifth win on the bounce.

“It gets harder each time he lines up but he's done a fantastic job so far,” said the current Singapore trainer's premiership leader.

“He's gone from Initiation right through and it was only at his first prep. We can't fault him.  His form on Polytrack is solid but he's tackling stronger horses this time. We'll see whether he can step up to the class.”

My Lucky Strike will again be ridden by Manoel Nunes who has been aboard at his last two wins. The first two wins had ex-Kranji jockey Lisa Allpress up.

Regardless of the outcome, Walker said he was not really using Friday's race to make any decisions towards loftier targets.

“I'm taking it one step at a time. He's a nice horse but I'm not rushing him,” said Walker.

“He has run only on Polytrack so far and it's too early to tell if he will go for the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge.”

Walker, who once trained War Affair as a juvenile before he was crowned Singapore champion three-year-old for trainer Alwin Tan, can also bank on another smart three-year-old in Jimmy Rea but again he treads carefully about his prospects for the upcoming series, which kicks off with the Group 3 Dester Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) on March 29.

Coming off a three-in-a-row, with the latest win recorded only nine days earlier, Jimmy Rea ran on from the back but could only finish third to Kiwi Karma in the Group 3 CECF Singapore Prestige Classic (1400m) on February 22.

“I was a little concerned about the quick back-up in the China Horse Club race, but remained hopeful he could win,” said Walker.

“He did well and has pulled up good. But we'll have to reassess him; I don't think he will run in the first Leg of the 3YO series.  With Affleck and Kiwi Karma the two top 3YOs by a mile, I think this year's series will be very tough for the rest.”