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Sunday’s $125,000 Alwin Tan Hai Wang Stakes (1200m) saw the stage all set for a riveting showdown between Polytrack specialists My Lucky Strike and Super Winner with the edge going to the former in breathtaking style.
Favourite Super Winner (Yusoff Salim) looked to have the race at his mercy when he took the shortcuts through the small seven-horse field while My Lucky Strike (Michael Rodd) was charting the widest path home after being badly outpaced from the start.
In a classic case of the cream rising to the top, the two best runners levelled up close home but the better momentum swung My Lucky Strike’s ($19) way as a half-length separated the brilliant pair on the line.
The General (Nooresh Juglall) ran third another 1 ½ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 11.91secs for the 1200m on Polytrack.
After picking up an earlier winner with D'Buffalo Man, Cliff Brown’s assistant-trainer Tim Fitzsimmons was absolutely rapt with the stable’s flying start, especially with a horse they have only taken over at his last two runs and have succeeded in bringing back to his best.
“He’s a real smart horse. The return to the Polytrack and the fast pace suited him; I was laughing when I saw them roll along,” said Fitzsimmons.
“He didn’t have much luck at his second run for us, which was on turf. He was drawn wide and had no other choice but to go back.
“In saying this, I think he can still win on turf, but he is clearly a Polytrack horse. It’s great to get a couple of winners on the first day, I’m sure Cliff will be pleased with that.”
Rodd, who clicked right away with My Lucky Strike for that first winning debut for Brown (Benchmark 87 race over 1000m), paid tribute to Brown’s ability to bring the Charge Forward five-year-old back to the top of his game.
“He’s a Polytrack champion and he’s again showed it today,” said the Australian jockey.
“He ran a very good race first-up but then he had that run in between over 1400m and not a lot went right for him on that day.
“He’s super honest. When they went fast upfront, I just let him go as I couldn’t keep chasing him.
“The others were too far away and I was confident he would let down and he really went right through the line.
“Super Winner is a very good Polytrack horse, too, and they were the two best horses in the race. It’s just that my bloke was up there and then he dropped off a little but credit to Cliffy for bringing him back to the same level again.”
With that 10th win under the belt, My Lucky Strike has now amassed in excess of $710,000 in stakes earnings for the Lucky Stable.