Trainer Mok Zhan Lun will recommend a spell for Pioneer Seven following his victory in the $75,000 Hua Mei For Elders Cup over 1200m on the Polytrack on Sunday.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Ridden by Manoel Nunes, Pioneer Seven (the $8 favourite) scored a one-and-three-quarter length victory over Davide (Barend Vorster) with Double Star (Alan Munro) a length away third.
Pioneer Seven had to do it the hard way from the front. One Smart Cat (Sam Subien) held a slight lead but was out three wide on the track over Pioneer Seven with Country Club (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) back on the inside.
Turning for home Nunes clicked Pioneer Seven into overdrive and the three-year-old quickly opened up a winning break. Out of the pack came Davide, but Pioneer Seven kept responding to bring up a winning treble for Nunes.
Mok said he would discuss with the owner Chionh Teck Swee the option of sending Pioneer Seven for a well-deserved break.
“I don’t want him getting sour with the racing,” said Mok. “He has already done a good job and I think a good break will do him good.
“I will talk to the owner. I would like to give him a break from racing of around three months. Hopefully then he will mature into a really nice horse.
“Everything with him so far has been mental. We’ve fixed up a number of his problems so far and there are still a few others that need fixing.
“Hopefully having a break and maturing a bit more he will come back an even better horse.
“Hopefully you want see him at the races again until he’s a four-year-old.”
Nunes who has been successful aboard Pioneer Seven now at his past three starts, said a break from racing would do him the world of good.
“He’s got a lot of ability but is still a bit hot tempered,” said Nunes.
“I’ve been riding him a lot and trying to get him to relax. He’s becoming a lot better but there is still more work to be done.
“He gets very nervous before his races and sweats up and can be a bit of a handful in the barriers, but a lot of work has already been done and he’s getting better.”
Nunes said it was his intention to try and take a sit on the gelding but he was reluctant to try and force the issue with the three-year-old.
“He’s got a very sensitive mouth,” said Nunes. “I didn’t want to go fighting him.
“Ideally I wanted something to come across and lead me, but in the end I was happy to sit where I was and he showed a lot of fight in the straight.”
An Australian-bred by Flying Pegasus from Enterprising Lady, Pioneer Seven has now won four of his 10 starts in Singapore and with a further four minor placings has won around $180,000 in prizemoney for connections.
