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The losing run was starting to stretch a fair bit for Group 3 winner Perfect P, but the bold chestnut gave a timely reminder of his ability as he again rose to the occasion for his sixth Singapore win on Sunday.
The Perfectperformance six-year-old, whose last victory came on New Year’s Day in 2016 in the Group 3 New Year Cup (1900m), has been mixing his form over very widely-spaced runs.
He did show some flashes of brilliance reminiscent of his former heyday, but the performances had been mostly lacklustre.
But a gun ride by Ricardo Le Grange’s new Malaysian apprentice jockey Krisna Thangamani in Sunday’s $100,000 Open Benchmark 97 race paved the way to a welcomed return to winning ways for the Thai-owned galloper.
Quickly tracking up behind noted frontrunner Order Of The Sun (Benny Woodworth), Perfect P slotted indeed into the perfect position, travelling well-balanced under his three-kilo claiming apprentice jockey.
Rounding the home turn, Order Of The Sun was already coming under some pressure. Sensing the time was right, Krisna pushed the button early and Perfect P quickened to the front, albeit drifting out a touch.
Behind, the swoopers were descending, but seemingly not thick and fast enough. Makanani (Derreck David) and Perfect P’s stablemate Song To The Moon (Nooresh Juglall) had begun a sweeping run from the back, but as Makanani wilted, Song To The Moon peaked on his run at the 200m, while Arhat (Alan Munro) and Darshini (Manoel Nunes) were also motoring home.
But Perfect P dug his heels in as he somehow managed to shake off the finishers swarming down on him. In the end, he got home with a neck to spare from Darshini with Arhat third another three-quarter length away. The winning time was 1min 15.43secs for the 2000m on the Short Course.
Le Grange said Perfect P had been a source of frustration given his stacks of talent which had not been given a chance to flourish due to complications.
“He’s had old suspensory problems that you just have to keep managing,” said the South African handler.
“But I’m lucky to have very understanding owners (Pupetch Racing Stable). I really thank them for their patience as they let me do what I want with the horse.
“The kid rode to instructions. I told him to travel the early part as the horse has a lot of ability and he will let down for you.
“Krisna is a lovely rider, but he can make a few mistakes, like last Friday. They have got to learn.
“He also needs to strengthen up a lot and he could become something this kid.”
Krisna, who got off the mark aboard Mighty Emperor for Le Grange last Sunday, said he just followed his boss’s instructions to the letter.
“It was very easy. The boss told me to follow close, and if the horse jumped well, to follow the leader and sit where comfortable,” said Krisna, who was previously indentured to Richard Lines in Kuala Lumpur.
“Last time, the pace was strong and he couldn’t follow, but today the slow pace suited him and he was always travelling well in second spot behind the leader.
“In the straight, he was still going strong and he just brought me to the winning line.”
With that sixth success, Perfect P, a two-time winner in Argentina, has taken his prizemoney level past the $610,000 mark for his Thai connections.