Marc Conners is confident Pimpala Secret’s size can offset a big weight as the trainer hopes to get the three-year-old back into the winners’ circle at Canterbury on Wednesday.
The lightly-raced gelding hasn’t started for a month after suffering a minor injury when unplaced in the Listed Eskimo Prince Stakes at Warwick Farm on March 12.
Conners said Pimpala Secret was back on song and ready for his midweek assignment in the Rosehill Gardens Event Centre Handicap (1200m) where he has 60 kilograms with Hugh Bowman to ride.
“We decided not to claim with him, he’s a very big horse and the 60 kilos shouldn’t worry him so we opted for the experience over a claiming apprentice,” Conners said.
“With smaller horses it can be more evident but with a horse of his size, and coming back in class, it should be okay.”
Pimpala Secret, who tips the scales at 594kg, has won three of his seven starts with a further two placings.
The son of Monashee Mountain finished eighth of nine first-up in the Eskimo Prince won by Agister, but Conners believes he can bounce back on Wednesday.
“He had a slight injury out of that race but we’ve got him back right now and I expect a forward showing tomorrow,” Conners said.
“He slipped coming out of the barriers, it was a minor muscle strain. We treated him and he’s come through it well.”
The Warwick Farm trainer gave Pimpala Secret a barrier trial on his home track on March 28 and said Wednesday’s race would determine where the gelding heads next.
A trip to Brisbane during the winter carnival is not out of the question.
“That is an option but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Conners said.
“It’s more a case of trying to get him in winning form and then deciding from there.”
Pimpala Secret is third favourite at $7 with TAB Sportsbet with the Tim Martin-trained Zakumi favourite at $4.40 ahead of the John O’Shea-trained Carmine King ($5).
Conners has two other runners at the midweek meeting including new stable acquisition Milford Sound in the Ascot Club Handicap (1250m).
The five-year-old son of Zabeel is owned by Gerry Harvey and has won four of his 13 starts in country NSW.
“He’s been with us for a couple of months and trialled nicely at Warwick Farm the other day,” Conners said.
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