Former top Singapore two-year-old Lim’s Lightning is progressing well as he prepares for his first Australian start.
The gelding is now with Matt Dunn at Murwillumbah and will run in the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Lim’s Lightning won four races in a row in Singapore as a younger horse, including the prestigious Golden Horseshoe.
The gelding contested several feature races in Singapore last season and although he failed to win he was far from disgraced.
Lim’s Lightning was trained by Steven Burridge in Singapore and was bought by former champion Queensland jockey Mick Dittman on behalf of owner Siah Mong Lim.
Dittman, who was inducted into the Queensland Sporting Hall of Fame this week, paid $50,000 for Lim’s Lightning at the 2017 Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale.
Dunn said Lim’s Lightning had come along nicely since arriving at his stables several months ago.
“The call to train him came out of the blue but naturally I was keen to get him,” Dunn said.
“I must say when we first worked him I wasn’t that impressed but he is coming along nicely and he has done well in two trials.
“It is a learning curve with him but I am looking forward to him running on Saturday. It will give us a good idea where he is at against Australian horses.”
As Lim’s Lightning didn’t go through a sales ring as a yearling he is not eligible for the Magic Millions series.
“But we will look at getting a Magic Millions wild card if his form warrants it,” Dunn said.
“There should also be some nice sprint races for him in the next few weeks.”
Lim’s Lightning has strong connections with Queensland as he was bred by Brisbane trainer Lynn Tipper who put her mare Wayne’s Gold to international sire Lope De Vega.
Group Two-placed Wayne’s Gold is a daughter of Tipper’s broodmare Whiff who produced 13 winners from 15 runners in the past 25 years.
Tipper was a good friend of Dittman’s late wife Maureen who was also an accomplished horsewoman.
