Another Strike

And here is winner number two ...

Exciting sprinter My Lucky Strike gave his rivals no quarters with yet another dashing win in the $125,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1000m on Friday night.

All the Charge Forward three-year-old had to do was sit off the frantic pace set by speed squib Southern Boss (Joseph See) before towelling off the opposition with a blistering turn of foot from the 400m mark that relegated Cavallo (John Sundradas) to second spot by two and a half lengths while Huka Falls (Michael Rodd) ran his usual honest race with a third place another three parts of a length away.

Punted down to $6 favouritism, the diminutive My Lucky Strike blazed through the 1000m on Polytrack in a sizzling 57.93 seconds, only 0.17 second outside the course record set by Northern Lion in 2011, which was half-expected given they certainly did not loaf around upfront.

My Lucky Strike (Manoel Nunes) kicks away from the pack to an impressive win on Friday.

Winning trainer Mark Walker has no doubt the Lucky Stable-owned sprinter has oodles of talent and speed to burn, but would not be so hasty as to venture him over further so soon. Tried mainly over 1000m and 1100m, My Lucky Strike tasted his only defeat in seven starts at his only test over 1200m.

“There is not much of him, but he's very quick and is a real top-class sprinter,” Walker summed up aptly.

“I will have to sit down with Richard See (Lucky Stable manager) and decide if he can race over 1200m. We will have to work out a plan, but I would probably stick to 1000m and 1100m for now. If he does go over 1200m, the Woodlands Handicap would be a good race for him.”

The Group 3 event is a handicap race run over 1200m on Polytrack and will be held on August 9.

Nunes would not be adverse to the idea of seeing My Lucky Strike heading down that path either, though he also reasserted that his strongest suit still remained the speed dashes at that stage.

“Credit to Mark for giving him a break (after his defeat over 1200m in March). I think he needed some time off and he really appreciated that,” said the leading Brazilian jockey who was at a winning treble having earlier saluted aboard Prince Mag, incidentally also for Walker and the Lucky Stable, before wrapping up proceedings with the Steven Burridge-trained Jay Eff Express in the last race.

“I wanted to run in third place tonight, but Johnny's (Powell) horse (Faaltless) would not go forward. It was okay as I was able to settle him in second behind the leader and he was always travelling relaxed.

“When I pushed the button in the home straight, he was just too good, but I must say the light weight (52kg) also helped him.  I think his best trip is 1000m-1100m now, but he's still a young horse and I'm sure he can try 1200m eventually.”

With that sixth win, My Lucky Strike has now brought his earnings past the $260,000 mark for the Lucky Stable.