Champion trainer Laurie Laxon combined with his apprentice Koh Teck Huat to saddle Makkura to a win in the $95,000 Better Than Ever 2010 Stakes Open Benchmark 89 (1000m) on the Polytrack on Friday night.
Koh’s apprentice allowance of 2kg allowed Laxon’s five-year-old Falkirk mare to step down from 59kg to carry 57kg in the sprint and the mare made sure that the assistance was put to good use.
When the gates opened, there was a charge for the lead with Excel N Strike (Manoel Nunes) rushing to the lead with Lago Bay (John Powell) coming up to sit outside and favourite Ronnie Brown (Joao Moreira) three wide in third.
Koh settled Makkura in sixth racing one out from the rails and allowed the leaders to maintain their momentum through to the main straight. Once the field turned for home, Koh sent Makkura wide for clear room.
Excel N Strike was still leading with 300m to run with a two-length break on the field, but Koh was balancing his mare out in the middle of the track before setting her off after the leaders.
Once Makkura was in her stride, she showed a good turn of foot to quickly reach the leader, and then with 100m to run, she went away well for a comfortable 1 ½ -length win. Finderskeepers (Shafiq Rizuan) with 55kg came with a late run to overtake a tiring Excel N Strike with one length to spare.The winning time was 58.50 seconds.
“It was a nice race for her. She was in good on the handicaps and there was always going to be a lot of pace, so it was nice to just ride her back off the pace and to get home,” said Laxon.
Koh, who has not ridden a winner since the Theo Kieser-trained Super Spur on March 24, said he just followed his master’s instructions to the letter.
“Thanks to my boss for giving me a well-prepared horse. I settled two lengths off the leader and she was too good out wide,” said Koh.
It was the sixth win in Singapore for Makkura, who is out of the Centaine mare Electric Dream. She has also recorded a further seven placings from her 15 races. It was, however, a welcome return to the winner’s stall for the mare, who used to be prepared by trainer John O’Hara, as she was at her first win from six starts this year.
