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Even if he sported a rounder girth than usual, promising sprinter Easy Man was right back into familiar territory on Tuesday – first past the line in a barrier trial.
It was his first such gallop since being sidelined through a sesamoid injury to his off-fore shortly after his last start in January when he capped a running sequence of five wins – all over 1100m - in a row.
Ridden for the first time by Lisa Allpress, the son of deceased New Zealand stallion Ishiguru showed he certainly knew where the winning post was when he quickened up within his own steam in the home straight to top a fairly bunched-up group of 10 horses – who finished within five lengths top to bottom.
Though trainer Leslie Khoo has not mapped out anything specific yet for the white-faced gelding he also owns, he has pencilled in a racing comeback in two weeks’ time, with probably a few more tune-ups thrown in to smoothen out the edges before he can face the starter.
The Singaporean handler, whose season has only just taken off in recent weeks following a sluggish start, has understandably taken it easy with the horse widely viewed as the best horse currently under his barn roof, especially given the lightly-raced four-year-old has already been blighted by two serious setbacks.
Easy Man was first plagued early in his career by knee chips, and just when he had bounced back from the successful operation, that second injury threw another spanner in the works.
“It’s been six months since his last run, and he’s obviously put on a lot of weight and is not quite 100% yet,” said Khoo. “His old knee injuries were no more an issue, but then he was again unlucky when he got that sesamoid injury. The vets just said he needed plenty of rest.
“He’s come back slowly and I was very happy with his trial this morning. I just told Lisa to give him an easy time and he still ran on to win the trial narrowly.
“I had big plans for him this year, like the big sprints and even the Stewards’ Cup (first Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge) as I believe he can go up to 1400m. We’ve moved on and we now only want him to get that first run out of the way and pull up good.”
Khoo said he would fit Easy Man with blinkers when he does return to racing, as he has scored the last four of his five wins with that gear on, but he could run without in barrier trials.
“He’s a different horse with blinkers on, he’s a lot sharper, but there is no need to have them on in the trials,” said Khoo.
Allpress would for one love to know the difference first-hand going with her enthusiastic post-trial feedback after she jumped off, although it remains to be seen if Khoo will keep the New Zealand jockey on come raceday, even if the pair have hit it off well with half-a-dozen wins, including Gypsy Magic last Sunday. Easy Man used to be ridden by Joao Moreira when the Hong Kong-based Brazilian ace was still plying his trade at Kranji.
“He’s a very nice horse. He reminds me a lot of Emperor Max,” said Allpress who herself enjoyed her own five-in-a-row with the top sprinter.
“He’s still very fat and was carrying a bit of condition, but he’s a lovely horse.”