Mega Fortune can make it three in a row
Trainer Johnny Lim’s Banker’s Baby tosses in a smart workout on the KL training track
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Mega Fortune (Oscar Chavez) saluting in the Class 4 race (1,100m) at Sungai Besi on Oct 17.
PHOTO: SLTC
Brian Miller
It took Mega Fortune five runs before he finally hit gold at his sixth start at the Selangor Turf Club on Sept 27.
He then went on to make it a winning double when he took out the Class 4 sprint on Oct 17.
Trainer Jason Lim has now entered Mega Fortune for the Class 3 event (1,200m) on Nov 14.
To make doubly sure that Mega Fortune’s treble stays within reach, the Singaporean handler sent his racer out for a training gallop on Nov 10 and the three-year-old gelding did not disappoint.
Ridden by Oscar Chavez, the son of Space Blues ran the 600m in a swift 35sec.
Mega Fortune is in excellent order and the rise to Class 3 should not pose a problem, especially not after the way he demolished his rivals over the shorter 1,100m at his last start.
That day, with Chavez in the saddle, Mega Fortune came from fifth at the top of the straight to win going away by almost two lengths. The Irish-bred pulled up with plenty of petrol left in the tank.
He will appreciate the extra distance next and, on the strength of this latest workout, he could be the one the rest will have to beat.
Lim also has a couple of other good ones in Platinum Harvest and Storm Eighty-Three.
Both were also out on the training track – which was rated yielding – and in separate gallops, they clocked 35.5sec and 35sec respectively.
Platinum Harvest beat a strong Class 4 field over 1,200m on Sept 5.
The Contributor eight-year-old disappointed at his next two starts, but he turned in a much-improved show at his last start on Nov 1.
That day, in that Class 4 contest (1,275m), he was doing his best work late and ran a creditable fifth.
Lim has picked a nice Class 4 race (1,200m) for the Platinum Racing Stables-owned gelding and if left alone, he could be the one powering home.
There was nothing to gloat about 10-year-old veteran Storm Eighty-Three’s last 10 runs, but he is always one of those who could juice up those novelty bets.
His work on the training track was decent, so watch for a big run from the son of Rebel Raider.
From trainer Johnny Lim Boon Thong’s yard, Banker’s Baby caught the eye on the training track.
The daughter of Foxwedge did a spot of cantering before being let loose to run the 600m in a 38.2sec.
It was not the swiftest of gallops on the training track but Banker’s Baby hardly raised a sweat.
The five-year-old mare will carry a ton of form into the Class 2 event (1,100m) on Nov 14.
Banker’s Baby’s last outing was in a Combined Class 2 and 3 race (1,200m) in Ipoh on Oct 18 when she finished third to stablemate Banker’ssweetheart.
But she has won three races and been placed second on five occasions. On her training form, a fourth victory is not beyond her.