Fit and ready trio top the time sheets

On a drizzly Nov 11 morning at Sungai Besi, several last-start winners served notice of their intentions to carry on the good work.

On a track rated yielding, Hennu Stall was the first horse to go against the clock and in a show of brilliance, he gobbled up the 600m in 38sec.

Next to impress was Red Dragonfly. He ran over the same trip in 39.8sec.

Then there was the Frank Maynard-trained Victory Storm, who was never asked to do more than what was necessary and, after some serious trotting, he disposed of the 600m in 41.7sec.

A three-year-old colt, Victory Storm is shooting for three wins from as many starts and come Nov 14, he might just get it.

This son of Rubick has been a revelation since he made that winning debut over 1,200m in Sungai Besi on Aug 30.

Ridden by Ikram Jamaludin, he claimed the box-seat from the get-go and sat there until a furlong from home.

Asked for an effort, he responded and in a strong finishing burst, he beat Peaky Empire by almost two lengths.

Four weeks later, on Sept 26, Maynard sent his galloper to do battle in a 1,020m sprint.

By then, racegoers knew what he could do and they sent him off as the race favourite.

Victory Storm did not disappoint them.

Like he did on debut, he came home with a pulverising run to win with a length to spare.

Come Nov 14, he will have to negotiate the longer 1,300m. Given the fact that he likes to finish off his races in a flourish, he will find the trip manageable.

As for Red Dragonfly, who is also by Rubick, he showed fighting qualities when winning his last start on Nov 1.

It was his ninth win under the charge of trainer Ooi Chin Chin and there certainly is more left in the tank.

Red Dragonfly seems to have found a new lease of life. On Aug 2, he charged home a tad too late and was beaten into second spot by Written Towin.

He then went on to win his next start on Aug 30 and, following that, he ran fourth to Action Banker’s in a 1,300m race.

Ridden by Wong Chin Chuen, he had a rough run. He drifted out soon after the start and hung in over the final furlong.

Wong got a chance to set the record straight at their next pairing in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 1 when he beat a strong Class 3 field over the 1,200m.

His work on the training track does suggest that he is holding that last-start winning form. So watch out for a race-to-race double from Red Dragonfly.

Finally, track watchers would have been impressed with the show put up by Hennu Stall.

The Alpine Eagle seven-year-old gets into the action on Nov 14 when he lines up for a 1,500m contest for Class 2 and 3 horses.

Like Victory Storm, Hennu Stall will be hoping to make it three wins in a row and he might just get it.

The five-time winner’s last two wins on Oct 11 and Oct 24 were over the 1,600m and 1,700m respectively.

He tackles the slightly shorter 1,500m on Nov 14 but the distance should not pose a problem.

As far as the company he will face is concerned, it will be Hennu Stall’s first test in Class 3.

However, trainer Simon Dunderdale has seemingly done everything to keep his galloper focused on the task ahead and Hennu Stall will trot into the action looking and feeling like a winner.