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Stablemates Royal Fortune and Rikioh were the first two past the post as trainer Leticia Dragon gained the forecast in the $60,000 Class 4 race over 1100m on Sunday.
Royal Fortune was going for a back-to-back double after scoring at his debut, where despite drawing a wide gate in a Restricted Maiden event on July 19, ran on well to post the win a short head in front of Picasso.
Having skipped a few grades this time to tackle a better class, the English-bred galloper from the Dragon yard was given the second favourite tag at $27, behind $9 odds-on favourite Star General (Alan Munro).
Royal Fortune (Saifudin Ismail) took up a handy spot in the running line two off the rails to stay within striking distance of the leader Star General. As they negotiated the bend, those two started going at it hammer-and-tongs until Star General who was first-up from a break, shortened up, leaving Royal Fortune to skip clear to the wire.
Rikioh (Troy See), who was lurking in third place all this while, moved up a spot to cross the line in second place, one-and-a-half lengths off the winner.
Star General could only manage to dead-heat for third with Lucky Dapper (Manoel Nunes), both finishing a further short head away.
The winning time was 1min 5.71secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.
Saifudin felt Royal Fortune started the race a little too eager but ran on well thereafter.
“He was too keen at the start and I had to hold him back,” said the Malaysian jockey.
“But at the turn, he travelled very good and from the 250m I just let him go.
“For him, I think 1400m will not be a problem.”
Dragon was very pleased, not just with Royal Fortune’s win but also Rikioh’s second-placed run.
“It is still quite early days but he (Royal Fortune) is definitely a horse with potential,” said Dragon.
“He has shown he can handle both surfaces just as well.
“I think he can go up to 1400m or 1600m. He will make a pretty good miler.
“I am very happy with my other horse (Rikioh) too who came in second.
“He came to me with a lot of negatives but he has now put in two good runs for me.”
With this win, Royal Fortune has brought home stakes earnings in excess of $75,000 for the RT Stable and their connections.
"Fortunes" were indeed on an upward trend for Dragon on Sunday as she went on to complete a training double in the last race when talented US-bred mare Fortune Winner came with a well-timed run along the rails under Mark Ewe to clinch a comfortable win in the $60,000 Class 4 race over 1200m.
