Brilliant brace caps a wonderful week
18 January 2014
TRAINER David Simcock and his Trillium Place team completed a wonderful few days with a double at Lingfield today.
Can’t Change It and Birdman both struck to take the Trillium score for the week to a magnificent SEVEN victories. Who says it’s dark and miserable in January!?
With six successes at home and one in Dubai, there is no hotter stable than Simcock’s at present. Through good placement and ensuring his string is in robust good health, David has made a blistering start to 2014.
Credit, too, must go to jockey Martin Lane. He was aboard Sheikzayedroad at Meydan and this afternoon’s brace of winners.
He was in inspired form with two very different types of ride. With Can’t Change It handed the widest draw – nine of nine – in the second division of the mile maiden, Lane made an early move, pushing his mount to the front after a matter of strides.
From there Lane dictated the pace. Approaching the final two furlongs he asked Can’t Change It for a response and received a spirited response.
The Verglas gelding kicked clear and established a sufficient lead that the favourite Sir Charlie Lunz never looked like wearing down.
Can’t Change It, owned by Fitri Hay, was making his second start and scored by a length and a quarter at odds of 3/1.
Lane had a different approach on Birdman, who unseated him three weeks ago at the same venue. Without a week in his previous 14 starts, Birdman was held up at the rear by Lane for most of the mile handicap.
Lane had him switched off and preserved a telling final kick that was unleashed down the Lingfield straight. Birdman took over from long-time leader Luhaif late in the piece and went on to win by three parts of a length at rewarding odds of 25/1.
It was the four-year-old’s third career success but the first since the summer of his two-year-old campaign.
What a week it has been for Trillium Place – seven winners from 10 runners! The only thing missing has been a Group win. But hey, it’s only January – have no fear, there’s plenty of time for that to come in 2014.
By Tony Rushmer