Reignite continues winning ways
Walker reckons his connections will have good fun with the progressive four-year-old Australian-bred
Leading trainer Mark Walker believes the connections of Reignite will have plenty of fun, after their horse snared his third success in his last four starts.
Overall, the Te Akau Racing Stable-owned four-year-old Australian-bred has had eight starts at Kranji for three wins and three seconds.
Both his unplaced efforts - a second-up fifth and a third-up seventh - were not far behind the winners.
He has earned about $92,000 in prize money.
"He took a little time to acclimatise at his first prep. We gave him a break and he has fully acclimatised now, he's so much better," said Walker, who leads the premiership with 61 winners.
"I think the owners will have good fun with him. He's much better than Class 4 for sure.
"At this stage, I'll keep him to sprint races. There is a Class 3 race over 1,200m for him next month."
Reignite was ridden by Rizuan Shafiq and apprentice jockey Hakim Kamaruddin in his first two wins respectively, but had Frenchman Marc Lerner astride on Saturday.
The $10 favourite produced a quick turn of foot to win the $50,000 Class 4 Div 1 event over the Polytrack 1,200m in a smart 1min 11.10sec.
A luckless second in his last race, the brown gelding by Sebring had a nice tow slightly further back than midfield.
Mohd Zaki, the noted front-running jockey, took the Desmond Koh-trained Sun Trek to the front, chased by Country Boss and War Pride.
Romantic moved up to a nice fourth spot under champion apprentice jockey Simon Kok .
Lerner remained calm and relaxed on Reignite, who cost A$800,000 (S$805,000).
Romantic moved up to challenge the three leaders shortly after straightening.
Reignite closed in on Romantic's heels and soon joined in for the run to the winning post.
Producing more, he started to break away from the pack and win by a length from the hard-ridden Romantic. Lerner had relaxed after overtaking Romantic. Otherwise, the margin would have been bigger and the timing faster.
Basilisk, the mount of Danny Beasley, dropped in third, two lengths further back.
The win took Walker a step closer to a fourth premiership title with that 61st winner, extending his lead on reigning champion trainer Michael Clements to eight wins.
The Kiwi said the penny has dropped for Reignite - with enough reasons to believe he will hold his own against better rivals.
While Walker praised Lerner for a 10-out-of-10 ride, he also spared a thought for his protege Hakim, who is the overall leader in the riders' list this season with 53 winners.
"Hakim couldn't ride after he fell off his mountain bike on Tuesday and had to get some stitches. He should be right next week," he said.
"I couldn't put Shafiq on as he is suspended (for careless riding). Luckily, Marc was available and I booked him right away, he's ridden the horse a treat."
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