Ultra-consistent sprinter Pinwheel is Group One-bound after enhancing his impressive race record with a stunning Melbourne debut at Caulfield.
The Peter Snowden-trained five-year-old overcame a big weight and the visitor’s draw, 11, to land Saturday’s Pink Ribbon Cup (1200m) and book a passage to Adelaide’s feature sprint The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 8.
“That was absolutely unbelievable,” Snowden’s Melbourne foreman Brett Conlon said.
“Outside gate, 60kg, and first time Melbourne way – he’s just a freak.”
Jockey James Winks had the task of steering Pinwheel and landed him outside the leader Marconi to get the perfect run.
Backed from $3.20 to $3 favouritism, the Lonhro gelding kept responding to the challengers in the straight and got home a long neck ahead of Amaethon ($4.80) and At The Heads ($7.50) who was a short half-head away third.
Caulfield Guineas placegetter Carrara ($9.50) was close up a long neck away in fourth place.
Pinwheel has posted eight wins and eight seconds from his 19 starts and arrived at Flemington on Wednesday morning for Saturday’s Caulfield assignment.
A dual stakeswinner of the Canterbury Classic and Grafton’s Ramornie Handicap, his three unplaced runs were last spring when sixth in Newcastle’s Group Three Cameron Hcp and fifth in the Group Two The Shorts at Randwick, and last start when fourth in the Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Warwick Farm on March 5.
“He’s a typical Peter (Snowden) horse – tough,” Conlon said.
“Peter has got a good knack of looking after these sorts of horses and it’s onwards and upwards for him.
“He just tries every time and I would say he would go to Adelaide now for The Goodwood.
“I think he will love it over there.”
Dan Nikolic said Carrara, who was resuming and racing in blinkers for the first time, was brave in defeat.
“At the top of straight I went to the inside for a run but he couldn’t get there,” Nikolic said.
“He will improve.”
AAP TURF
