BRANDENBURG SCORES THIRD WIN IN A ROW

Trainer Peter Lee enjoys a good day at office with hat-trick of wins at his Ipoh home base

- Michael Lee

A quick back-up in Ipoh saw Brandenburg frank his winning form with, arguably, his most impressive victory thus far.

The much-improved Better Than Ready four-year-old not only showcased his versatility by switching to leading tactics to winning effect, but by also doing it the hard way - claw his way back from the jaws of defeat and score going away.

Coming off a two-in-a-row, both earned by producing late on rain-affected tracks - including his last-start Ipoh win at his step-up in class to a Class 4A (1,100m) last week (Nov 23) - Brandenburg sprang the first surprise when replacement jockey Harmeet Singh Gill sooled him to the lead from his middle draw in the RM35,500 Class 4A (1,300m).

The pattern shift would have raised a few eyebrows among those who backed him down to $15 favouritism. He had never led at his 16 previous starts, let alone at any of his four wins.

When Ahtims Klis (Yudanyl Aify), a former 90-point rater who came within a whisker of claiming the Group 1 Coronation Cup (won by Elite Remarkable, now renamed Colonel Chief, who, by coincidence also won the next race) two years ago, came off a three-wide trip to serve it up to him, Brandenburg's charmed run was in danger of coming to an end.