Co-trainer Chris Meagher believes the best is still to come from Pippie as the mare strives to remain unbeaten in her current campaign.
After starting her preparation at Doomben in July, Pippie came to Melbourne last month to record victories at Caulfield on August 17 and 31 respectively.
Pippie’s latest win in the Cockram Stakes was her first in black-type company and on Saturday she will attempt to add the Group Three How Now Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield to her record.
Meagher, who trains in partnership with his father John, says lessons learned in Singapore tell him that Pippie will be spot-on for Saturday’s race.
During their 11-year stay in Singapore, the Meaghers constantly weighed their horses, a practice still in force at their Mornington stable.
Meagher said Pippie weighed 518kg when she won at Caulfield on August 17, was down to 516kg for her next victory, but had increased to 521kg before a light work-out on Thursday morning.
“That’s why I gave her a bit of pacework this morning,” Meagher said on Thursday.
“When I weigh her Saturday morning before she goes to the races, I reckon she’ll be 518 or 519 kilos.
“One, two, three or four kilos doesn’t sound a lot, but having that experience in Singapore and weighing them pre-race, they don’t lie, so in that regard she’ll go to the races pretty well perfect.
“She wasn’t screwed down for her first run down here and then I thought she was a touch tight the next time, but now she looks like she’s carved out of chocolate.”
Meagher does not expect any change to Pippie’s racing style after the mare has led throughout in her three runs back this campaign.
“She’ll jump and go forward and it all depends if anything wants to take her on,” Meagher said.
“If anything wants to annoy her, they’ll definitely bring themselves undone.
“She’ll be in front at the 200 metres, it’ll just be a matter of how much kick she gives.”
