Promising galloper Slew Of Lode looked like he was running into dead ends in the $75,000 Class 3 race over 1200m on Sunday, but a timely split between runners saw him sprout wings inside the last 200m to lock in his second win from only three starts at Kranji in impressive style.
Ridden by his last-start winning partner, John Powell, the Argentinian-bred four-year-old looked to be caught in a pocket after being tucked away in fourth on the rails. Euro Zone (Corey Brown) was being hailed the winner after he came from the rear to hit the front at the 200m, and the gaps were still not appearing for the $11 favourite.
But hopes in the Patrick Shaw and Fred Crabbia camp were brought back to life when the miraculous path opened up, with Powell needing no second invitation to dive through. In a few bounds, the son of Lode zoomed through to easily outsprint Euro Zone and score by a neck while Chinese Culture (Manoel Nunes) ran on steadily for third a gap of 2 ¼ lengths away.
Slew Of Lode, a two-time winner over the mile back home, clocked the smart time of 1min 10.38secs for the 1200m on the Long Course.
Shaw admitted to sweating buckets before his charge extracted himself from his precarious berth.
“I honestly didn’t think he could get a run,” said the South African conditioner who had Crabbia by his side at the winner’s stall.
“He looked a little flat-footed as well, but Johnny kept trying and he put his head down for the win. Johnny kept the ride as I never change a winning jockey and he’s ridden him a treat again, though he did give us some nervous moments.
“On his last win, I was quite confident he could win today, but I have to say I was a bit hesitant to run him on grass today, but he needs to get the runs.
“He should not have lost first-up when he lost by a nose. I will stick to sprint for now, though he’s won over the mile back home.
“I don’t have any big plans for him. I will just find a similar race and let him go through his grades.”
Powell said being locked away on the rails was probably not the script he would have hoped for, but he found himself landing there and could only pray they could get out when it was time to get busy.
“I would have preferred to be one out, one back, and then come three wide around the corner,” said the Australian jockey.
“But I had no other choice but to stay behind the leaders and wait for the runs to come.
“It’s hard to say whether he is more of a turf or Polytrack horse at this stage. He must at least go up to a mile to say if he is a grass horse or not.”
