Pinseeker NZ - Photo Club Menangle
LUKE McCarthy's stable of stars is about to get stronger.
McCarthy has two of Australia's best open-class pacers Kingman and Don Hugo and classy Kiwi pacer Pinseeker will join them in coming weeks.
In fact, Pinseeker is already at his Cobbitty stables, but still being trained by Jonny Cox.
Pinseeker opened his latest Aussie campaign with a slick 1min49.7sec mile free-for-all win at Menangle last Saturday night.
Cox confirmed he would campaign Pinseeker through until Miracle Mile night on March 14 and then transfer him to McCarthy.
Pinseeker will try and qualify for a Miracle Mile berth through one of the two sprints at Menangle on Saturday week.
Cox said Pinseeker’s headstrong tendency in longer races made it attractive to leave him with McCarthy.
“We just don’t have the short course options at home and he can race here almost every week over a mile for $30,000,” he said.
“The sprint races and how they’re run here mean he doesn’t get the chance to overrace.
“Luke’s got a great set-up with his track, the water walker and his hill track. I’m sure the horse will love it here.”
Cox was thrilled with the fight Pinseeker showed to win after working to lead and running quick splits last Saturday.
“I was happy with him. He was vulnerable at the 100m, but he really stuck it out well,” he said.
“He’ll be better for the run too, as far as fitness and experience in that sort of hard racing at Menangle.
“He’s won before, but was different. He got a 60sec half and really just sprinted home a quarter.
“The other night it was go, go, go from the start.”
Pinseeker worked in a 26.1sec opening quarter, followed with a 28.2sec second split and then dashed home in 55.4 and 27.4sec.
“It’s going to get harder from here, but he came through it well and will be better. I put him on the water walker at Luke’s the morning after (the race) and he’s come through it really well.”
Cox said skipping this week’s Newcastle Mile suited Pinseeker’s campaign.
“He had that run at Addington and raced here a week later, so to get two weeks now and more time to settle in at Luke’s will be ideal,” he said.
“Plus, if he got beaten at Newcastle (where only the winner gets a guaranteed Miracle Mile) we’d have had to run him in the qualifiers the week after anyway.”
Pinseeker’s possible rivals on Saturday week include Kingman, Swayzee, Don Hugo, Hi Manameisjeff and Captains Knock.
PHOTO: Club Menangle
