A trip to town for lightly-raced mare Pineapple has been put on the backburner – for now.
The four-year-old is an early scratching from the Cloudy Bay Sprint (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday with new trainer Sean McCormick instead favouring an easier task at Canberra a day earlier.
Formerly with Kerry Parker, Pineapple scored an impressive debut win at Kembla Grange last February but was unplaced at her only other three starts in stakes grade.
She has not raced since the Keith Nolan Classic at Kembla in March after battling with arthritis in her knees.
While McCormick has opted for an easier start to her campaign he does plan to bring Pineapple to town in the near future.
“There’s no doubting the ability is there,” he said.
“We’re just trying to go to the races with her not feeling her legs.”
Pineapple also heralds the start of bigger things for McCormick.
He most recently worked as a pre-trainer at Heritage Park where his graduates included Group One winner Manawanui, Karuta Queen and Pineapple.
Earlier this year he accepted an opportunity to head up a racing and breeding operation, Mount Pleasant Thoroughbreds, for one of Pineapple’s owners.
McCormick currently has four horses in work at the property, based at Thirlmere near Picton, with several more spelling and a host of yearlings coming through.
There is also a small band of broodmares and foals.
Later on, the plan is to add horses from outside clients.
“We’re still in the setting up process. We’ve put the water walker in and we’re about to put in the barn so it’s small steps,” he said.
