Top Brazilian jockey Manoel Nunes highlighted a concerted effort to give barrier rogue Pioneer Seven the best possible start in Friday night’s $125,000 Kranji Stakes A race (1100m) as the key factor to his fifth success.
The skittish son of Flying Pegasus is known to be his worst enemy in the barrier gates, getting all stirred up and missing the jump. Such antics proved costly at his last start when he had to sit off the lead and could not peg back the winner Huka Falls.
Meeting his nemesis again, Pioneer Seven had the odds to turn the tables on the Laurie Laxon-trained chestnut stacked against him, mainly due to a two-kilo pull in weights not in his favour, but it seemed punters still kept the faith in him as they made him the short-priced $9 favourite.
They proved to be right on the money. After being loaded last by the handlers under the direction of chief starter Damien Kinninmont, Pioneer Seven walked in like a lamb and leapt out on terms with the other nine runners.
That was half the battle won for Nunes and trainer Mok Zhan Lun as they knew that once they had cleared that hurdle and Pioneer Seven was able to take up the running in his familiar top spot, their rivals could be in for a torrid time.
The four-year-old bay kept up a relentless gallop that had already broken the hearts of many by the home turn, including Huka Falls (Corey Brown) who was run off his legs by the 300m mark.
But Texan Takeover (Lisa Allpress) emerged as the main threat at that point as he closed in on the favourite. Nunes was not to be outdone, and though Pioneer Seven did shorten up, the break he had opened up was too big for his rivals to cut back at the business end.
Pioneer Seven reached the wire with 1 ½ lengths to spare from roughie Rapido Star (Alan Munro) who nutted out Texan Takeover for second by a head. The much anticipated rematch between Huka Falls and Pioneer Seven did not really eventuate as Pioneer Seven exacted sweet revenge fair and square with Huka Falls running fifth, beaten more than 3 ½ lengths behind the winner. The winning time was 1min 5.11secs.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to Damien and (assistant-starter) John (Pepe). They were very patient and understanding and allowed my horse to go in last,” said Nunes.
“That made a big difference and he jumped well tonight. It’s good we can work together at the barriers and get the results.
“This horse was so crazy in the past, but he’s improved a lot. He’s still a big baby in the head, but it’s a big satisfaction to see him improve.
“He’s 100% one of my favourite horses as I’ve been involved with his schooling at the start and it’s been a lot of hard work.
“He’s a funny horse as during trackwork, there is no worries at all with him, but on raceday, he is all fired up. I took a big lead on the rest tonight as I wanted them to work hard to catch us, and it’s worked out good.”
Mok said there are no two ways about getting the best out of the gelding owned by Mr Chionh Teck Swee - mend his barrier manners.
“He lost his last race in the barriers. With his history at the gates, they let him go last tonight and he jumped well,” said Mok who has now saddled Pioneer Seven to five wins all recorded on the Polytrack.
“I was very happy to see him go forward, but then I got a bit worried when Manoel took him to a big lead.
“In the last 100m, I thought they had him, but he kept going. The light weight (52kg) also helped.
“I don’t have any big plans with him. If only the Lion City Cup was run on Polytrack!”
The Singaporean trainer, who is yet to open his “Black Type” account, was being wistful as the Singapore’s premier domestic sprint race is a 1200m Group 1 event run on turf on April 27.
But Pioneer Seven is not so hopeless on turf as, though he has not won on it, he does boast two seconds from three attempts.
