Trish Dunell Photography
Champion trainer Laurie Laxon may have already decided to leave Singapore, but he has now requested to slightly extend his stay.
After a stellar career at Kranji where he claimed nine titles, Laxon is returning to New Zealand. The Kiwi had officially relinquished his trainer’s licence effective from this Friday, September 1, and had already bade farewell with his final runners last Sunday.
Sadly, the 71-year-old mentor could not give his fans a last hurrah, but he will now get another chance to pad up his current 2017 score of 31 winners – and overall tally of 1,263 winners – next week.
The reason for the special request to train a while longer was simply because Lee Freedman, the Australian Hall of Fame trainer taking over his stables and most of his horses, has not received his work permit yet.
“It should come through next week. So, the plan is to fill in for him until he gets it,” Laxon said.
“I’ve already asked the Singapore Turf Club officials for permission and it’s been approved. We will take it on a week-by-week basis.
“Anyway, we didn’t have any runners this week, but Affleck is running in the Jumbo Jet Trophy next week. He will run under my name together with a few other horses.”
Affleck, his former juvenile champion and three-year-old champion, has not won for more than a year. He faces a stiff task against the likes of Lim’s Cruiser, Debt Collector, Countofmontecristo and Elite Excalibur, but it would not surprise anyone if Laxon pulls off a last masterstroke. – NZ Racing Desk.