Pininci’s impressive victory in the tabtouch.mobi Sprint (1000m), coming from near the rear after a bad barrier draw (8), saw the four year old gain his fourth win from 14 starts.
In the process it got the monkey off senior jockey Troy Turner’s back.
Turner had been in good form up to April 27 and at that stage he was third of the metropolitan jockeys premiership on 30.
At the start of the day, on June 15, he was still on that score and in eighth position on the ladder.
Freshened up by trainer David Harrison the Pins gelding was racing first up since January 5 when ridden by Pat Carbery.
On that occasion he had run in a more forward position than anticipated and over-raced, failing to settle and laying inwards.
Yesterday Turner had the horse next to last at the 400m mark before powering home to easily account for Blacksmith by a length after that galloper had shaken off Grey Cheval (Carbery) at the top of the straight. Donnyonetime finished on to run a close third just edging out the grey filly.
Harrison said Pininci had been working well. “He has matured and has always had ability, possessing a good finishing run if not a long one.”
Favourite Grey Cheval raced fiercely after getting to the front, from out wide, and hung out approaching the turn as Blacksmith moved to her.
It was her only unplaced run in six starts with four wins and a second before today.
Trainer Simon Miller’s foreman Michael White admitted they have a bit off work ahead of them with the filly.
“We are using a Brad bit on her but she needs to learn to settle more as her fierceness will undo her now that she has moved up in class,” White said.
The metropolitan apprenticeship premiership race is getting interesting with Ben Paterson on 25 clear of Chris Parnham and Mitchell Pateman on 18.5
Both Pateman and Parnham won yesterday and the latter had three seconds as well.
Parnham only started his apprenticeship at the beginning of the year-half way through the season- and Pateman was out with knee problems for 4 months between January-May.
You would have to say Banjo is still favourite but it may get very close.
Ditto with the trainers: Adam Durrant and Neville Parnham went winless yesterday and the former has only 2.5 lead at this stage with a month and a half to go.
In the ‘TVH fashion stakes’ no one was turned out better than handicapper David Hunter with the grey suit with pink and lemon tie.
Marty Young with the dark Blues Brothers look plus the Sky Channel racing tie (red,white and with a touch of gold) gave a ‘Kerrific performance’ in running ‘The Hunter’ to a short lapel on the line!
16.6.13