By Larry Foley, Singapore Turf Club
Polytrack specialist Lucky Jinsha would most likely start as the red-hot favourite in the $85,000 Class 2 race over 1100m on the Polytrack on Saturday and it would take a brave man to tip against him.
There may be better horses in Singapore than Lucky Jinsha, but none that have come so far, so quickly. A little over a year ago, the Shooting To Win five-year-old broke his maiden status in a weak Class 5 race on July 10, 2021 after being unplaced at his first seven starts.
After an impressive first-up win in Class 1 company on September 17 and a recent barrier trial – he won trial no.3 last Thursday by seven lengths in the slick time of 59.09 secs – was exceptional.
That last-start win was his fourth this year and the only time Lucky Jinsha has tasted defeat in the current season was two starts back on April 30 when he pulled up lame over 1400m in a Kranji Stakes B race on the turf.
The horse has been a revelation and trainer Tim Fitzsimmons thinks more improvement will come out of him.
“Yes, I reckon he might have (more improvement) – scary!” said the affable Australian handler on Tuesday.
“He was very lame after that 1400m run – it was very concerning – so we gave him three months off and touch wood, he has come back in great order.
“His first-up win was very good and you can see from his trial last week that he has come through that run with no issues whatsoever.”
So, just how good was that trial last Thursday?
“We wanted him to do something, but what he did under his own steam was impressive,” continued Fitzsimmons.
“He’s a funny horse. He just does what he has to do at trackwork – nothing more – but he has ‘white line fever’ when he gets in the barriers and turns it on and that’s what you saw at the trial.
“I asked (jockey) Manoel (Nunes) to keep him balanced, stay off the fence and let him do what he wants but like all good horses, he was just switched on when they jumped and was in a trial of his own.”
Of the race on Saturday, Fitzsimmons respects his opposition but also thinks Lucky Jinsha will be hard to beat.
“It’s never easy at this level,” explained Fitzsimmons, who has a whopping 15 runners nominated for the 12-race meeting.
“We obviously have the winning form on the board but there’s extra weight to carry (55.5kgs) and horses like Sky Eye can’t be discounted.
“But our boy loves the Poly(track) and just makes it tough for the other horses with his sectionals.
“He doesn’t have a big turn of foot but puts in sectional after sectional and gets his opposition off the bit.
“If Manoel can keep him out of trouble early – I wouldn’t mind if he draws a bit out as he’s not the quickest from the gates – he will be hard to get past late.”
Going forward, Fitzsimmons thinks a race like the Group 3 Merlion Trophy (1200m) on February 4 next year is perfect for the addition of some silverware to Lucky Jinsha’s growing CV.
“He has handled the turf but I think he is better on the Polytrack at the top level and on what he has shown so far, he would have a say in a race like the Merlion (Trophy),” he said of the Lucky Unicorn Stable-owned gelding.
“It’s weight-for-age (conditions) but he’s lightly-raced and still improving, so that’s where we will aim him at.”
Fitzsimmons will be a very busy man on Saturday but two quirkily-named maidens in Ahorsewithnoname (running in the $20,000 Open Maiden race over 1200m) and Popeyethesailorman (lining up in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1100m) come under notice on trial form.
“Yes, (owner) Joe (Giovanni Singh) always gives his horses good names,” said the trainer who sits equal on winners (but second on countback) with Donna Logan at the top of the trainers’ premiership with 56 wins.
“Ahorsewithnoname is a raced maiden from Australia – she placed once from three starts – and has shown enough at the trials so she should go well on Saturday with Manoel riding her. She would also improve over more distance being an Adelaide (sire) mare.
“Popeyethesailorman has also trialled well and is a nice horse, though he was beaten by (trainer) Ricky’s (Ricardo Le Grange) horse (Hole In One) at both his trials (the latest one was on October 27 in trial no. 2).
“He (Hole In One) will be hard to beat but my bloke, who will be ridden by Manoel as well, is improving with each gallop, so he will keep him honest.”
