Pure Tactics recorded back-to-back wins when he burst through late to roll hot favourite Fraajilistic in the $60,000 Open Benchmark 67 race over 1200m on Friday night.
Despite his last-start win in a Class 4 race over 1100m, the Strategic five-year-old was given a wide berth by most punters, but Pure Tactics, like any other horse cannot read.
Jockey Oscar Chavez for one knew what he had underneath him when he brought Pure Tactics within striking distance at the 300m after travelling midfield throughout. Fraajilistic (Corey Brown) was being hailed the winner when he hit the front shortly after straightening, but Chavez had other ideas as he lifted the $130 longshot in the last 50m to grab the hotpot right at the last hop.
The photo print showed a nose separating the pair, with Euro Zone (Michael Rodd) third another 1 ¾ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 11.71secs.
Chavez said he went into the race with a fair bit of bullishness his horse could double the dose despite being up in grade.
“His last two runs were very good and he went into tonight’s race with good fitness,” said Chavez.
“It was not a very strong race as most of them were Class 3 horses which is the kind of company he came from anyway.
“On the line, I was pretty sure I had won the race.”
Winning trainer Tan Hor Khoon said Pure Tactics owed his last-gasp victory to the Panamanian hoop.
“Oscar is a very good jockey. He won the race for us,” said Tan.
“I think this horse has found his mark already. That is pretty much his level and I would not take him out of this type of race, 1100m to 1200m.”
Pure Tactics was recording his fourth win, his third for Tan as the first was scored when he was prepared by Steven Burridge, and has already collected more than $260,000 in prizemoney for Madam Leong Phooi Yee.
