Axel looking at back-to-back wins

For a galloper who seems right at home and does his best in Class 4, half a million dollars in prize money is nothing to be sniffed at.

And to think, the pot could grow even larger.

You see, Axel is an eight-year-old – but to date, no one has dared or bothered to tell him that to his face.

So he still feels like he is a galloping gadabout – always eager to show the youngsters a thing or two.

Well, the Donna Logan-trained veteran was up to his shenanigans again when he took his place in the stalls for the solitary trial run-off on June 18.

Ridden by Logan’s apprentice jockey Chong Shin Wah, and jumping from the outermost gate in that field of four, Axel was neatly into stride and soon took up a handy spot behind the leader, Tax Free, who had the riding services of jockey Saifudin Ismail.

Hot on his heels was seven-year-old Tigarous while the baby in the field – three-year-old Nordic Star – seemed happy to get the dirt kicked back onto him by the three old-timers up front.

So the quartet hummed along.

Indeed, such was their leisurely pace that Saifudin could have done the crosswords in the saddle and he would have still held that lead.

However, it was not to be for long.

Into the home stretch and some battles loomed.

Axel, who was on a tight hold for the better part of 700m, made a forward move and quickly had Tax Free well and truly covered.

Given rein, Axel opened up in style and quickly put lengths between himself and the rest.

To his credit, Tax Free tried to raise a gallop but Axel was quickly fading into the distance and, to add to his consternation, Nordic Star also came at him.

In a rush to the finish, Nordic Star consigned Tax Free to the third step of the podium.

But by then Axel was home and hosed, 3¼ lengths to the better of Nordic Star who beat Tax Free by a neck.

Because they took their own sweet time to run the 1,000m, Axel clocked a lacklustre time of 1min 4.51sec for the trip.

It was nothing to write home about but Logan would have taken many positives from that showing by her veteran galloper.

When he next goes to the races, Axel will be shooting for a race-to-race double.

Yes, he won his last start on May 25 when beating stablemate Te Akau Ben by a head in a Class 4 race over his pet trip of 1,400m.

The 1,400m is indeed his caper and, in his long and fulfilling career which has seen him race 83 times, eight of his 11 wins were over that trip.

So, keep an eye on the son of Darci Brahma when he next tackles the distance.

We could be looking at a 12th win. And that would be something.

There was also plenty to like about the way Nordic Star went about his job.

Prepared by Ricardo Le Grange, the Brazilian-bred five-year-old was having a New Registration test which is a requirement for all newcomers to Kranji.

Well, Nordic Star passed the test with flying colours.

And why not? Nordic Star is not one of those wide-eyed newbies with no experience whatsoever.

He is a galloper whose last racing stint was in that very competitive arena in Hong Kong where he was prepared by Danny Shum.

His only victory was registered in a Class 4 handicap over the 1,650m trip at Sha Tin on Dec 23. Zac Purton was the man in the saddle.

Nordic Star’s last race was in Hong Kong on Feb 18 when he finished among the also-rans.

He then made tracks to Kranji where he was given 67 rating points.

That showing at the trials on June 18 was Nordic Star’s first official outing at his new home.

Watch him when Le Grange sees it fit to send him for his first Kranji race.

He just might be a horse worth putting in your notebook.

brian@sph.com.sg