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A barrier trial on Tuesday morning by Perfect Pins had trainer and jockey all smiles in the lead-up to the Group 1 $1 million KrisFlyer International Sprint over 1200m on May 20.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Trainer Leticia Dragon and jockey Jose Verenzuela were delighted with how the six-year-old Perfect Pins went about his work in the 1000m hit-out.
Racing on the outside of Captain Obvious, ridden by Oscar Chavez, Perfect Pins stuck to his task gamely to be beaten three-quarters-of-a-length in a smart 59.86sec.
The effort showed Perfect Pins was on target for the KrisFlyer, a race he finished third in behind Rocket Man last year – beaten five lengths.
The gelding has had just the three starts since last year's KrisFlyer, finishing last on two occasions before finishing second to Yin Xin in a course record time over 1100m on the Polytrack on April 20.
Dragon explained that Perfect Pins – who was prepared by her father Douglas until she obtained her licence at the start of the year – had had a number of issues following last year's KrisFlyer which culminated in a bleeding attack when last behind Super Easy in the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy over 1400m in November.
“After last year's KrisFlyer we sent him for a break but when he came back we had a lot of problems with his feet,” said Dragon.
“Then he had a bleeding attack after finishing last in the EW Barker Trophy so we gave him a good break.
“His feet have come good and we gave him a couple of trials before his first-up run and he has trained on well since that.
“I thought his trial today was good and we'll give him a gallop on the grass next week and that will be it until the race.
“He ran very well in the race last year and hopefully he can do a bit better this time. As long as we are in the race we have a hope.”
Dragon said she had kept perfect Pins fresh since his first-up run and said the gelding usually performs at his best when kept this way.
“The fresher he is the better he races and he holds his condition well,” said Dragon.
“Last preparation he had issue after issue but when he is right he is a very genuine horse.
“He has come back to racing very well this time in. He may not be a flash trackworker but he produces his best come raceday.
“It's always good to have a runner on a big day and even better to have a runner in one of the big races.”
Verenzuela has ridden Perfect Pins on just three occasions registering two wins and a last start second behind Yin Xin. His wins came over 1000m on the Polytrack in the lead-up to the KrisFlyer.
Saimee Jumaat had the mount on Perfect Pins in the KrisFlyer last year after Verenzuela partnered Eclair Fastpass into second place behind Rocket Man and is happy to be reunited with the New Zealand-bred on Sunday week.
“I think he's going better now than he was last year,” said Verenzuela after dismounting following the trial on Tuesday morning.
“He feels very free in his action and I don't feel any of the problems that he had after the KrisFlyer last year.
“If he can run like he did last year then I'd be very happy with that.”