Axel, Eruption flex muscles

That Class 4 event over the 1,400m on Feb 3 is shaping up to be quite a battle.

A pair of three-year-olds, with loads of ability, will be strutting their stuff against an eight-year-old who has been there, done that and is shooting for more.

And in their corners, puffing them up and getting them fighting fit are three of the best conditioners at Kranji.

Donna Logan, Tim Fitzsimmons and Ricardo Le Grange.

Between them, Eruption and Ace Of Diamonds have put together four wins, while Axel the “old man” has 10 wins and more than half a million dollars in stake money won.

He will not be bullied by young talents and, as if to show them that he means business, Axel turned in one of the top gallops on the training track on Jan 30.

Sent out against the clock, he left nothing to the imagination when he breezed over the 600m in 38.9sec.

That was not as fast as the 37.8 it took Ace Of Diamonds to run out the same trip on Jan 29. But it was just as impressive.

As for Eruption, he put himself into the equation when he, too, turned in a smart workout, covering the 600m in 40.3 on a hold.

With a name which intimidates, Eruption has had five Kranji starts for a win, a second, a third and a fourth placing.

Now, that is nothing to be sniffed at, and Fitzsimmons has had him ticking over like a time bomb.

Well, the time bomb misfired at that last start on Jan 14.

That day, when backed down to $20, he was fractious at the start, broke through the gates, was passed fit to race and finished a well-beaten fourth to Strike Gold.

Off to the trials he went and under Manoel Nunes, he won that hit-out, beating Thunderstorm by a neck.

Fitzsimmons would have been satisfied. More so after that smart-looking gallop on the morning of Jan 30.

Same, too, with Axel. Logan has been patient with her “veteran”.

After putting together his ninth victory on Nov 4, she gave him two more races in 2023. Both times, he finished out of the top five.

No worries there. Between Jan 1 and his next race start on Jan 20, she had him galloping thrice.

It topped him up and his 10th win came with a dominant show at that last start.

Ridden by in-form apprentice Jamil Sarwi, Axel came from last to first, beating Creative Dreams by 1½ lengths over the 1,400m.

Sure, he is getting long in the tooth but he has not lost his navigational skills. He still knows where the winning post is and that is where he heads – with gusto.

Logan and the Te Akau Racing Stable tasted success at the recently concluded meeting on Jan 27.

That day, they sent out six-year-old Our Secret Weapon to open proceedings with a win.

They could taste victory again. This time with Axel, who loves the 1,400m.

As for Ace Of Diamonds, he is shooting for his fourth win off the reel – and he might just get it.

The son of Swiss Ace impressed with his work on Jan 29 and he will carry a ton of form into that exciting Class 4 contest.

If anything, that last-start win over Makin was first-rate stuff. He fought out the finish and prevailed by a short head.

Right now, Le Grange has him in a “good place”. He is all synched up and he seems to be improving with every outing.

Four on the trot is not an impossibility. So do not go betting against him. It might cost you dearly.

That Class 4 race aside, watch out for City Gold Star in the Class 3 sprint over the 1,200m.

He was another “star” on the training track. If he manages to bring that form to the races, he could give trainer David Kok even more reason to smile.

Kok took out the last race on Jan 27, saddling Pacific MV who won under Vlad Duric.

He can continue from where he left off and City Gold Star can give the stable another reason to cheer.

With Marc Lerner doing the steering on the training track, the sparingly raced five-year-old by Written Tycoon ran out the 600m in 39.1, leaving little to the imagination.

Already a three-time winner from just nine races, City Gold Star is well-placed to run a huge race on Feb 3.

Sure, he meets some real “talents” like Lord’s Command, and even Flying Nemo.

But track and trip should suit City Gold Star as he has won in Class 3 – and over the 1,200m on grass.

So give him plenty of thought. He deserves your utmost attention.

brian@sph.com.sg