Mark Strikes It Lucky

The Singapore Turf Club reports on Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker's Friday night win:

Former Victorian galloper My Lucky Strike made a winning debut in Singapore with a slashing victory in the $65,000 Initiation race over 1000m on Friday night.

The Charge Forward three-year-old fared reasonably well in Australia with one second and one third from three runs in the metropolitan area and certainly brought that decent city class to Kranji at his debut for trainer Mark Walker and jockey Lisa Allpress.

Settled just off the pace set by race-leader Well Done (Ivaldo Santana), the Lucky Stable-owned gelding was just too good once he was peeled out to the middle of the track upon straightening.

Well Done did not go down without a tussle, but Allpress's mount asserted his superiority inside the last 200m to claim the top prize by two lengths. Well Done finished in advance of the third-placed finisher Thunder Cat (Danny Beasley) by the same margin. The winning time was a smart 58.85 seconds for the 1000m on Polytrack.

Walker said he had been quietly confident of a forward run first-up based on his past Australian performances but he was still hoping he had gone the right way with his headgear.

“He didn't run very well without the blinkers at his first barrier trial. He was disappointing and I think he didn't like the kickback,” said the Kiwi trainer.

“We put the blinkers on at his next trial and he travelled really well. I discussed with Richard (See, racing manager for the Lucky Stable) and we decided to leave them on in his race.

“He showed reasonable form in Melbourne and we gave him a chance tonight. He ran second in Sandown and third in Caulfield, so that's pretty handy.

“He seems to be a nice form and his Aussie form was enough to see him first-up tonight. I'll see how he pulls up and may race him again in three weeks' time.”

Allpress knew she was onto a good thing when she sat atop My Lucky Strike at his last winning trial, even more so when, unlike Walker, she saw nothing wrong with the first when ridden by Walker's apprentice jockey Shafiq Rizuan.

“I saw his first trial and I think it wasn't that bad,” said the New Zealand rider.

“He travelled very well for me tonight and quickened very well. You know what, I think he is a mini replica of Emperor Max (horse Allpress partnered to five of his seven wins).

“I think he is showing the same ability at this stage of his career.”