The race for the 2012 Trainer’s Premiership hotted up on Sunday when six-time winner Laurie Laxon produced Huka Falls to win the $75,000 Progress Stakes over 1200m on the Polytrack.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Ridden by Joao Moreira, Huka Falls ($7) scored a three-length victory over Ronnie Brown(Stephen Baster) with Media Captain (Alan Munro) a head away third.
Laxon and Michael Freedman share the lead on the race for premiership honours on 72 winners apiece.
“Game on,” said Laxon who only arrived back in Singapore on Saturday night following a freshen up in his home country after attending the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Runs Sales last month.
“It’s not going to be easy as Michael has got a lot of nice horses and a lot of those lovely Darci Brahma’s that are taking all before them.”
Laxon and his assistant trainer Shane Ellis had been pinning their hopes in Huka Falls gaining a winner back on Freedman who started the weekend two winners in front.
And Laxon believes Huka Falls will continue to get better when he fully matures.
“He’ll get better with age,” said Laxon who described the gelding as his “new Waikato” before he had even raced.
“He’s still a bit immature and has a few little niggles which we are working through at the moment.
“It’s important for this horse to get firm footing at this stage of his career. We’ll keep him on the Polytrack for the moment and look to the turf with him next year once the drier weather comes.
“He’ll be aimed at the Three-Year-Old Series next year as I think he’ll handle the 1400m and 1600m later on in the series.”
The Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge kicks off over 1200m on the turf in late March and progresses to 1400m in April with the final, the Group 1 Singapore Guineas over 1600m in May.
Moreira said Huka Falls had to used up a shade to hold the inside fence as he didn’t want the leader (Dollhouse – Jacky Low) crossing him and leaving him pocketed.
“He’s got a lot of speed and we didn’t want to get stuck in on the fence,” said Moreira who was riding the third leg of a winning treble for the afternoon.
“I didn’t want the leader crossing me so I had to use a bit of his speed to hold the inside.
“He’s a very smart horse but he’s got a little foot injury that he’s not fully over yet and when he does he will improve even better.
“He’s a smart horse that will keep getting better with age.”
Huka Falls has now had five starts, registering four wins with his only “flop” coming on a soft track when seventh in the Jubilee Stakes over 1400m in September.
By Align from the Senor Pete mare Diamond Lady, Huka Falls has won around $140,000 in prizemoney for Laxon’s Silver Fern Racing.
