Royal Pavilion serves notice
Pennywise is another horse who impresses at yesterday morning trackwork
Trainer Michael Clements has inherited a good one from Shane Baertschiger. We're, of course, talking about Royal Pavilion.
His win last month was a talking point. Bumped by another horse on jumping and having to be eased off when tightened, he had just two behind him when they angled out for that run home.
Apprentice Amirul Ismadi was in a bit of bother.
The race was over the flying 1,000m - and you don't often see a winner come from near last.But, in the form he was in, Royal Pavilion was ready to rumble.
Taking the bit, he went after those in front of him.
Suddenly, from being out of it, he was - at the 250m mark - right in it. Benny Woodworth, on the leader and $11 favourite Justice Light, would have thought he had done enough.
So, it would have been a complete surprise when he saw the shadow of Amirul's mount loom on his outside.
A smack on the rump got Royal Pavilion going and, over the final 50m, nothing was going to touch him. Amirul had landed a $61 roughie and all was good in the Clements' camp.
A month later, Royal Pavilion was back and again they sent him off at juicy odds of $60. Again, he lolled around near the rear in that 1,200m race. But, just when he was about to fashion a run at the 250m mark, he got checked.
That was it. Game over. Royal Pavilion finished fifth - two lengths adrift of the winner Ararat Lady.
Royal Pavilion will be back over the shorter 1,000m on Sunday. The form horses in the race appear to be Fulife Brilliance and Romantic.
But, coming from a yard that has recently been churning out winners with regularity, expect Royal Pavilion to be turned out as right as a racehorse can be.
The Class 2 race over the 1,200m is shaping up to be something to savour.
There's topweight Augustano. And the talented Lim's Dream. Muraahib from Lee Freedman's yard and the very exciting last-start winner, Star Of Jupiter.
Then, there's also Pennywise. Trained by Ricardo Le Grange, Pennywise didn't do a thing wrong when sent out for a spot of work yesterday.
Ridden by Ben Thompson, Pennywise galloped over the 600m in a fluent 36.8sec.
Just a four-year-old, the big chestnut is looking to make it a race-to-race double on Sunday - and, even in the face of such fierce competition, he might just do it.
Pennywise has been a regular moneyspiner and has banked in more than $300,000 for his connections. And he's far from finished.
Last time out, he unleashed a run close home to swamp the likes of Kiss Your Song, Webster and more.
And, just last week, in preparation for Sunday's assignment, Le Grange sent him to the trials.
He showed class in that 1,000m hit-out, holding second until the home stretch before hitting the front and dusting off the challenges of Heliosphere and Grand Koonta. And we know how good they are.
Come Sunday, Pennywise might have his work cut out for him but he's still worth plenty of thought.
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