Bold galloper Curvature wrapped up his comeback prep with a slashing barrier trial win in his customary high-cruising style on Tuesday.
Bowling along to the front upon despatch, the Snitzel five-year-old controlled the tempo to a tee, never giving much away to the other runners right through, going on to win easing down from Viviano one length away.
The four-time winner has not raced since his disappointing eighth in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1200m won by Aramco on September 23. It was the only time he had blotted his copybook given he had never finished worse than third at his other seven starts.
It was to be too found later that the China Horse Club-owned galloper had come back with some respiratory issues. A wind op was successfully performed soon after, hence the protracted absence from racing.
With a return imminently close, trainer Lee Freedman is keeping his fingers crossed Curvature will come through the setback as good as new.
“He had a wind op after his last start. That was why he ran so poorly,” said the Australian handler.
“He doesn’t usually run a bad race. At least he had excuses.
“He’s pulled through quite well and touch wood he will be all right. He looked happy in his trial this morning.
“That was his second trial. He was relaxed all the way through.”
Freedman has picked out the Class 2 race over 1400m next Sunday as Curvature’s first-up race.
With regular partner Craig Grylls having returned to New Zealand where he landed the prestigious Group 1 New Zealand Derby aboard Crown Prosecutor on Saturday, Curvature is all set to have barrier trial-winning partner Michael Rodd aboard.
“I haven’t had a lot to do with him, but he’s always been an impressive horse,” said the Australian jockey.
“He’s coming back from a wind op and I’m excited to be riding him in the Class 2 race over 1400m on Sunday week.
“He’s had two brilliant trials, and I couldn’t be happier with him. The first one was some three weeks ago and it was pretty soft, but it was a lot more serious on Tuesday.
“As he will be first-up over 1400m, we had to let go a bit more this time. He felt fantastic and he pulled up great.”
