A pull in the weights and getting back on his preferred dry ground has helped Chinqui return to winning form at Caulfield Heath.
After the 2kg claim for apprentice Luke Cartwright, Chinqui was in receipt of 8.5 kilograms of the $1.80 favourite Beast Mode in the Sportsbet More Place Handicap.
That, combined with the dry track enabled Chinqui ($8) to wear down Beast Mode in the final stages to win by a short neck with Codigo ($8) the same margin off third.
James Peters, an assistant-trainer with the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable, said the team had put a line through the sprinter’s last run at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“He didn’t go a yard on that heavy track, so he had a brief freshen up,” Peters said.
“He trialled really well the other day and we were confident as on-pace seems to be the place today and he was from an inside draw.
“We also got a great lead off the favourite and he pinned the ears and really chased hard.
“We had that eight kilos weight swing in our favour, and we wanted to make that horse feel a bit of early pressure by not wanting to hand up straight away.
“He was going pretty quick and Luke used his brain, sat off him, got a lovely cart into the race and with the guts the horse showed, he really wanted to chase that other horse down.”
Beast Mode had to do some work early under Craig Williams to find the lead, but once in front he appeared to travel sweetly.
Turning for home, Williams gave Beast Mode his head and it looked the race was over.
However, over the final 100m, the chasing pack began to close and those that took the short quote about Beast Mode were beginning to feel nervous.
“It was pretty textbook what Beast Mode does,” Cartwright said.
“I was hoping to get him to do a little bit to get across and I knew from the 600 (metres) that he gets on his bike himself.
“But I was able to suck up on his back and peel out, however, to be honest I didn’t think I was going to reel him in until the last 100 metres.
“But with the light weight, he just let rip late.”
The win on Chinqui gave Cartwright a double for the afternoon having scored earlier on Roadcone in the Magic Millions Digital Online Handicap (1500m).
