Last season's champion griffin, Lifeline Express was back in the limelight yesterday with a tough Beijing Handicap win that brought up a double for Basil Marcus. 'Well, talk about doing it the hard way - he has had a very good win today,' said trainer Tony Millard. 'Don't worry about the time they've run or the margin, look at how he did that. That was a very tough win. He has some scope this horse if we can get him through his classes.'
Millard has made no secret of his hope that Lifeline Express can progress sufficiently to be a worthy runner in the Hong Kong Mile in December.
That's a distant cry from his Class Two win yesterday but the giant gelding's fourth win in five starts also drew praise from seven times Hong Kong champion Basil Marcus.
Marcus had scored earlier in the day on David Hayes-trained Po On Win, and was in raptures with Lifeline Express.
'I'm sure he is going to be better when he is chasing the speed instead of making it but from the wide draw today we didn't have any options but to go forward,' Marcus said. Lifeline Express was beaten at his seasonal debut over 1,200 metres when he was always off the bit then struck trouble at a vital stage in the straight, but yesterday he found the extra 200 metres more acceptable if not the wide gate.
'I was very worried indeed about the 12 barrier today,' said Millard. 'I said to Basil, 'look jump him out and then see what you can do.' I didn't send him out with a plan to lead and you can see him on the replay looking to his inside to come across and slot in. But there was nowhere to go and he had to make the decision to press forward.'
