3 minute read

Last-start beaten favourite Conilad has not taken long to make amends following his blitzing victory in the $75,000 Speed Baby 2011 Stakes, a Novice race over 1200m on Sunday.

The former Queensland sprinter franked his overseas form (two seconds from three starts) with a winning debut at Kranji in an Initiation race over 1100m in April, but found two better, albeit narrowly, second-up when backed off the map at $8.

Taking stock of what he saw and Glen Boss’s feedback at that second run, trainer David Kok knew what he had to do for the next assignment.

A simple tweak in headgear can sometimes make a heck of a difference as could be seen from the way Conilad took up the running before sprinting away inside the last 200m, never troubled by any of his eight opponents.

Miss Blanchett (Rueven Ravindra) and Mother Nature (Mark Ewe) did try to keep the $24 shot on his toes, but once Boss gave him his head upon straightening, they were left chasing shadows.

Conilad wheeled away to a 2 ¼-length win from the fast-finishing Lim’s Cruiser (Vlad Duric) with Waipakihi (John Powell) third another 1 ¾ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 10.01secs for the 1200m on the Long Course.

Kok said he had been toying with the idea of fitting the shades from as early as after his first win, but could not do so as he won with winkers on first-up.

“He had winkers at his first start and he won. That’s why I couldn’t change to blinkers at his second run,” said the Singaporean trainer.

“He trialled well with them and I was quite confident he would run better today. He’s a very nice horse, but I will take it easy with him, take it step by step.”

Boss, who was at a riding double having saluted earlier aboard the Laurie Laxon-trained Mr Spielberg, rode with the supreme confidence of someone sitting atop the best horse in the race.

“He’s a better horse than he is on paper. To me, he’s a better class of horse that that,” said Boss.

“I think the blinkers gave him more confidence today. Things didn’t go his way at his last start, but today, they helped him get to the line better.

“It’s a stepping stone going forward for something better. I think with the blinkers off, he can go over 1600m no problem. He’s a horse who will win his fair share of races here.”

With that second success, Conilad has already brought home more than $80,000 in stakes earnings in only three runs for the Fairdeal & Premier Racing Stable.