Trainer Bruce Marsh jokingly said he needed a map to find his way to the Champagne Room on Friday night after Uncle Lucky finally ended his long wait for his first 2018 win.
Jokes aside, the New Zealand mentor had been at a loss to explain his lean spell in the last long three months – the “worst start” he has ever endured at Kranji by his own admission.
It was little wonder the veteran trainer was clearly relieved to have finally shed the unenviable tag of being the last Kranji trainer among the 26 (Tan Hor Khoon was also winless, but he retired three weeks ago) not to have broken the duck this year.
Sometimes, the wooden spoon is not indicative of the stable form if seconds and thirds do suggest a lack of luck instead, but in Marsh’s case, even his minor prizemoney record looked unflattering. There was only one third place from Humdinger on March 4 that has managed to keep the home fires smouldering during that drab period.
But the fires were back crackling and blazing away after the aptly-named Uncle Lucky blew his rivals away with a thumping win in the $45,000 Class 4 Non Premier race over 1100m.
Heeled along by Craig Grylls to take up a handy spot behind Dash (Chin Chee Seng), the Showcasing five-year-old, who was incidentally Marsh’s only runner of the night, was able to settle into his strides before being set alight inside the last 300m en route to that much-needed fillip for his camp.
Lucky Six (John Powell) was the only one who could ruin the Marsh party when he launched his run at the 300m, but Uncle Lucky ($23) kept galloping to that safe haven over the line, two and three-quarter lengths ahead. The Golden Goat (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) ran third another 1 ¼ lengths away.
The winning time was 1min 6.46secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.
“I can’t remember when I had to wait for such a long time for my first win here. Don’t even check your records,” said Marsh, understandably keener to savour that first win than dwell on the past.
“I’ve lost a lot of horses coming into this season, and it’s tough when you don’t have many horses.
“But a big thank you to my owners for standing by me through thick and thin and my staff for working so hard to keep the stable going.
“Hopefully, that first win will now make things a little easier for us. I have a lot of new two-year-olds and three-year-olds who have joined me and the rest of the season should hopefully be better.
“The winner himself is a stronger horse this time round, more mature. We gave him a freshen-up and he’s been working very well leading up to tonight’s win.”
Uncle Lucky has not brought luck to just Marsh. Last year, he also turned first-win provider to his jockey on August 4.
“Uncle Lucky gave me my first win and now he’s given Bruce his first for the year. What a great little horse he’s been to us,” said Grylls who also hails from New Zealand.
“He trialled very well last week. He’s freshened up well and he is such an honest horse.
“He’s not very big but he’s got such a big heart. Hopefully his win tonight will bring more winners for Bruce from now on.”
With that fifth win, Uncle Lucky has now amassed more than $130,000 in prizemoney for the TTS Stable.
