English jockey Alan Munro seems to hold the key to getting the best out of Lake Huka after he produced him with a well-timed run to clinch the $60,000 Class 4 Division 2 race over 1400m on Sunday.
In the three times the pair combined between June and September last year, they hit paydirt once, at their first partnership which came in a Kranji Stakes D race over 1200m.
The winning styles between then and Sunday were almost identical. Switch off at the rear only to have the last crack inside the last furlong.
Among the backmarkers from the start, Lake Huka started to take closer order from the 700m to sit within striking distance 400m later, even if favourite Ace King (Glen Boss) looked to have the race all sewn up when he outgunned race-leader Sand Bank (Michael Rodd).
Last-start winner Constance's Spirit (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) was also chipping away on the outside, but it was Lake Huka ($56) who jumped out of the ground the best inside the last furlong to stick his neck out right on the line, in time to stave off a barnstorming run from longshot Golazo (Derreck David) to deny him a shock $245 victory by a neck.
The boom on Ace King is starting to fade as he had to again settle for a minor placing, this time a third place another head away, a short head from fourth-placed Constance’s Spirit. The winning time was 1min 22.86secs for the 1400m on the Short Course.
With winning trainer Laurie Laxon still back in his native New Zealand, the job of talking up Lake Huka’s latest success was left in the good hands of his assistant-trainer Shane Ellis.
“His last two runs (eighth and seventh but not all that far behind the winners) were better than what it looked like on paper,” said Ellis.
“We stepped him up to 1400m again and he hit the line good. There was a good tempo to the race and that helped him get home first.
“Munro has a good record on him and he rode him a treat again today.”
While Ellis said the genuine tempo seemed to suit the Silver Fern Racing Stable-owned gelding, Munro said he had to contend with a lack of pace early in the race.
“There was not much speed early, and he ran relaxed at the back,” he said.
“He showed a good finish to win and that was exactly what he did at his last win with me. He suits me a lot this horse.”
A five-year-old by Guillotine, Lake Huka has now brought his record to four wins and five placings from 24 runs for stakes earnings in excess of $170,000 for his owners.
