The Derby is still missing from his trophy cabinet after Rockfast came quite close on Sunday, but Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker was still happy with the run and is already looking ahead to other battles upstream.
Starting from this Sunday with his handy duo of My Lucky Strike (pictured above) and Kam’s Comet in the $100,000 Open Benchmark 97 race over 1000m.
Seven-time winner Kam's Comet is resuming from a three-month freshen while Polytrack champion My Lucky Strike is back on his pet trip over which the Charge Forward four-year-old boasts a record that is second to none – six wins and three seconds from nine outings.
Walker gives both horses a good chance, even if one senses that he is leaning more towards Kam’s Comet in terms of upsides.“It’s hard to freshen up My Lucky Strike. Early on, I had to stretch him to 1400m because there weren’t any Polytrack races,” he said.
“He had a couple of runs and did okay. His record over 1000m speaks for itself, and I had to run him in that.
“Kam’s Comet, on the other hand, is in great form and is a progressive type. He had a short freshen-up and has been working very well.
“Both have good chances, but everything will depend on the draw as well. They both have had their fair share of right draws, it’s easier to deliver when they do.”
Champion jockey Manoel Nunes knows both Walker’s inside out, but stuck with My Lucky Strike with Kam’s Comet handed to Shafiq Rizuan, who has yet to score on the Dutch-owned Danroad four-year-old in three associations.
Trailing current leader Alwin Tan by four wins, Walker would certainly not mind either horse bridging the gap, but with the halfway point just tipped over, he is far from panicking.
Neither is the former five-time New Zealand champion trainer rueing the one that got away on Sunday.
“It was a good run from Rockfast, but he needed a bit of rain. Manoel had to go forward early but he felt the ground in the last bit,” said Walker who has never won a Derby, be it here or in New Zealand.
“In saying this, it wouldn’t have made any difference if Manoel had waited longer. The best horse (Well Done) won on the day.”
Nunes was also proud of Rockfast and the way he ran out of his skin, but wished the track had a bit of give.
“At that level, he ran a bold race, 100%. I just wished it had rained earlier in the day,” said the Brazilian jockey.
“I gave him every chance, but the winner had a better run through the field. In the last 200m, he didn’t quite quicken away as that’s when he feels the track when he comes under pressure.
“But the owners (Te Akau Racing Stable) and their guests all cheered me at my return to scales. We need more owners like them, they still applaud you even after losing, because they know you gave their horse every chance, but just got beaten by a better horse.”
