Logan’s Good Luck Charm
Rookie Hakim also scores on Official for Kiwi trainer
Trainer Donna Logan's wisdom to use rising apprentice Hakim Kamaruddin reaped double rewards at Kranji on Saturday.
They combined to take Race 3 with the aptly name Good Luck Charm in the $50,000 Class 4 Div 1 race over the Polytrack 1,000m and Race 5 with Official in the $30,000 Class 5 Div 2 race over the Poly 1,700m.
Although considered wet behind the ears, 22-year-old Hakim rode like a veteran. He was cool and steady. He had good balance and the horses went well for him.
On Good Luck Charm, whom he rode to finish second twice before winning his last start in Class 5 with Brazilian hotshot Ruan Maia astride, he displayed poise and patience.
He bided his time, but made sure he stayed within reach of the leader Resolution. For a moment in the straight, it appeared the bird had flown.
But Hakim persevered.
His hard work paid off. Good Luck Charm responded to his strong riding to beat the $13 favourite by half a length.
The second fancy, his mount paid $16 for a win.
His ride on Official was another gem.
Again, it was his destiny with horses that made the difference between winning and losing.
The race started competitively, with no fewer than six horses racing past the winning post for the first time.
Official was not among them. But he was right behind.
Holy Grail surged forward to lead into the back straight, but was soon eyeballed by Wins.
Not wanting to stay too far back, Hakim nursed Official up to be third on the inside, covered by Hooga Net and Vesontio.
Wins pressed ahead from the 700m mark to secure a one-length lead soon after from Holy Grail. A few horses had overtaken Official and it looked like the horse was a goner.
Vesontio and Success Street swept past the tiring Wins with 250m left. That was when Hakim brought Official through a gap to go after them.
His mount really sprouted wings when asked for an effort. From what looked like a losing proposition to gaining a two-length victory was certainly the rider's credit. Official also paid $16 as the favourite.
Logan praised the Malaysian rider as very capable and that horses run for him.
"There's just something about him," she said. "When you watch his ride on Good Luck Charm, you could see how he didn't go eyeballing the favourite and leader. He waited until the last 100m to get to work on him.
"He thinks about what he is doing. He will go a long way. He rides to instructions and it's very encouraging for him.
"You actually saw how he carries instructions out to the letter on Official even more. I told him this horse doesn't like kickback, and to get the best of him, he has to go around runners.
"As he was drawn in three, you could see how he was thinking 'how am I going to get out?' but he did get the horse out and they won a nice race."
Incidentally, both Logan's winners were sired by The Factor and owned by same connections, Falcon Racing No. 7 and No. 8 Stables.
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