A plan to get Pirandello into next week’s Magic Millions Sprint might have come unstuck but the gelding has shown he is up to better class races with a win at Doomben.
After Pirandello won a Gold Coast trial in slick time last month, trainer Matt Dunn entered him for the Bat Out of Hell (900m) at the Gold Coast last Saturday.
“The Bat Out of Hell was a wild card race for the Magic Millions Sprint,” Dunn said.
“But we were balloted out and decided we would target this race at Doomben.”
Pirandello ($2.50) lived up to the trial effort easily winning the Relaxed Racing Plate (1110m).
The gelding was highly rated by premier trainer Chris Waller when he raced in Sydney but his form dropped away.
“I spoke with Chris when Pirandello came up here and he said he couldn’t put his finger on what was wrong.” Dunn said.
“We have kept Pirandello’s track work to a minimum and have mainly swum and beach worked him.
“He ran good time in the trial and good time today so he should go to better things.”
Pirandello clocked 1.03.74 which included a slick final 600m in 33.08.
Trainer Desleigh Forster’s big opinion of mare Assertory ($4.40) was confirmed when she won the Happy New Year from the BRC Hcp (1100m) despite a big hike in weight.
“She went up five kilos in weight but she is pretty handy and seems to have got over her bad habits such as trying to hang,” Forster said.
