Trainer Laurie Laxon saddles a handy duo in last-start winner Lim’s Shot and Katagas in the $80,000 Kranji Stakes C race over 1200m on Sunday, but tends to lean more towards the latter even if his last win dates back to more than 16 months.
The Kiwi mentor said Lim’s Shot, an impressive all-the-way winner from marble one in a Class 4 race over 1200m on July 23, has trained on but faced a stiffer task this time.
Up against the Showcasing five-year-old, who has again drawn well in three, will be the likes of Mr Luck, a winner in Class 3 last time out, Dinghu Mountain who is back in easier grade and Splinter, a last-start winner in less tough company.
On the other hand, Katagas might not have saluted since April 2016, but his two runs back from a one-year spell give every indication he is primed and ready for a return to winning ways.
“Both horses are well, but I think Lim’s Shot is badly off at the handicap,” said the nine-time Singapore champion trainer.
“At his last win, the blinkers switched him on and he also drew one, but he is badly weighted this time. He is coming from Class 4 to Kranji Stakes C.
“Katagas is in very good form and I expect him to run a good race. Both horses galloped well this week.”
Assistant-trainer Shane Ellis concurred with Laxon that both gallopers are well but also gave the nod to Katagas, a seven-year-old by Any Suggestion.
“The two horses are in fine fettle, but Lim’s Shot is not well weighted against horses who have done more than him, but he should still run well with Manoel Nunes (who won on him last time out),” said the Perth horseman.
“They galloped together this week and I was happy with both of them. I think Katagas is close to winning, especially with only 53kgs after Matthew Poon’s two-kilo claim.
“He is a Polytrack horse, which is a bit of a shock given he’s such a big horse, weighing around 600kgs.
“It’s taken a while for him to get going. He’s never really had a full prep as we had to tip him out because of a shoulder problem.
“But he’s over this now as we could tell from his last two runs that have been really good. He’s definitely better off at the weights than Lim’s Shot.
“But on form, we can’t fault either and hopefully, both of them go well on Sunday.”
– Singapore Turf Club
