Galaxy Grey going great guns

Put a winning jockey on a horse that is prepared by a winning trainer, and the likely outcome is a winner at the races.

Such stars seem to have aligned in Race 8 on Aug 22 for the aptly named Galaxy Grey.

Trained by Simon Dunderdale and to be ridden by Bernardo Pinheiro, Galaxy Grey was one of a handful of horses that went against the clock in trackwork on Aug 19.

The five-year-old showed tracksiders that he was ready for any challenge thrown at him by his rivals in that Class 3 sprint over the 1,300m.

Ridden by Rosmizan Suhaimi, he cantered briefly before revving it up to run the 600m in 37.4sec. Galaxy Grey strode out rather nicely and looked race-fit.

Back in Australia where he raced as Too Darn Cold, the son of Frosted won two from 10 races and when winning at his last Malaysian start on Aug 9, he demolished the opposition.

Ridden from the front by Pinheiro, he eventually put almost four lengths between himself and runner-up Wealthyness.

It was a dominant show that earned the 54-point galloper promotion to Class 3, which is unlikely to put the brakes on his charge through the ratings.

Galaxy Grey is on the up and up and, come Aug 22, he will have track and trip in his favour.

While waiting for that eighth race, a galloper from the Nick Selvan yard, Big Max, will be worth watching in the opening event.

Restrained to some pace work and cantering, he then sprinted sharply over the last 400m under jockey Jackson Low Kang Cheng.

It was an impressive effort put in by the Charm Spirit gelding who has really thrived since moving across the Causeway.

Back in Kranji where he was trained by Leslie Khoo – who is still a part-owner – Big Max was often in the money, but frustratingly never first past the winning post

In Singapore, the on-pace runner was often rolled late, a tendency which he has not quite shaken off in Malaysia even if he has finally opened his account in his new home and now boasts three wins.

He was runner-up on seven occasions up in Malaysia, adding to the three seconds earned at Kranji.

Three of his last four starts in Kuala Lumpur saw him being beaten on the line.

At his last outing on Aug 2, he looked like making every post a winning one, but was caught on the line by Engine Start who won by a short head.

Big Max must always be considered a force to be reckoned with, but probably so long as he stays in Class 5.

Trainer Frank Maynard, who closed proceedings on Aug 16 by saddling Fright to take the 11th race before inclement weather forced the cancellation of Races 12 and 13, has entered a small team of four for the action coming up.

It is a compact team with Sacred Buddy and Duma – his two runners in Race 7, a Class 2 (1,100m) – also stepping out on the training track where their work was restricted to some strong cantering. Both seemed to be up to the task ahead.

At the other end of the scale, trainer Charles Leck could close off the meeting on a winning note.

Pacific Baobao, his runner in the Class 5 (B) race over the 1,600m, worked diligently when subjected to some cantering up the straight.

The four-year-old by Heroic Valour has been winless in 16 starts and richly deserves a break. His form figures for his last five starts going back to May 24 tells a story of frustration.

With a 3-2-4-3-3 record, Leck and the Pacific Stable will be hoping the gelding can break the duck somewhere in the near future.

brian@sph.com.sg