Racing: Simple Pleasures wins easily

Racing: Simple Pleasures wins easily

Simple Pleasures, who bled in his last start, is coming back nicely in his bid to resume racing.

A fortnight ago, the Shane Baertshigertrained four-year-old finished second to Danger Money in his first trial since his four-month spell.

On Thursday, the bay New Zealand-bred by O'Reilly showed improvement to take the fourth of six trials at Kranji. He won it impressively.

Ridden by John Powell, he led early and then had Don Inaki for company passing the 600m mark. He kicked ahead again on straightening and went to the post by three lengths without raising a sweat.

He clocked 1min 00.79sec, the fastest of the morning.

The going was good, but it drizzled in the final trial.

Simple Pleasures started his Kranji career promisingly.

After finishing third in his debut on Sept 28 last year, he won his subsequent two starts over 1,200m on turf in good times. He clocked 1:10.02 and 1:10.33.

In his fourth start, which was the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint over 1,200m on March 31 this year, he nearly caused a big upset when he lost by a mere head to Stepitup, who went on to complete the Grand Slam of the Singapore Three- Year-Old Challenge series.

Simple Pleasures ran in the second leg, the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic over 1,400m on April 21, and that was when he bled in the race.

A spell followed and he now looks on course for his comeback. Watch him.

The trials results and comments:

TRIAL 1 (TEST)

1 Best Guru (L Allpress) 2 Big Money (H Syafiq) 3 Morris (D Beasley) 4 Suggestahabit (I Andy) 5 Keepitconfidential (K A'Isisuhairi) 6 Fifth Dan (B Vorster) 7 Global Cast (J See)

Margins and time: Nk, 1, 4½, ns, 1¼, 1 (1min 01.63sec)

Fifth Dan (starting stall) proved a bit stubborn and had to be pushed into his barrier. Global Cast (starting stall) kept playing up and kicking back while waiting for the others to be loaded. He missed it by a couple of lengths when the gates opened. Suggestahabit (starting stall) was slow into stride.

Big Money (blinkers) started best and soon had Morris (pacifiers) creeping up on his outside. At the 600m, he held only a slim lead over Morris. Best Guru and Global Cast, who had made up ground, were 2½ lengths behind. A similar gap away came Keepitconfidential (pacifiers off) and Suggestahabit. Fifth Dan was two lengths away in last, wide out.

Morris headed out Big Money on straightening. Best Guru slipped up nicely on their inside. Keepitconfidential was two lengths away. The three leaders were almost abreast at the 250m. Big Money was urged a little but Best Guru ran on unextended to beat him by a neck.

TRIAL 2 (TEST)

1 Convict (Allpress) 2 Sacred City (KB Soo) 3 Let Go Lenni (A Munro) 4 Let It Rock (Vorster) 5 Emperor Max (Y Ruzaili) 6 Eclair Desire 7 Emperor's Banquet (J Moreira) 0 Fielden Star (I Saifudin/refused to jump and took no further part in the trial)

Margins and time: ½, ¾, ns, nk, 1¼, 1¼ (1:01.32)

The field jumped well but Sacred City (starting stall) and newcomer Emperor Max were beaten for early pace. Let It Rock (blinkers) began well but saw newcomer Let Go Lenni and Convict (blinkers) disputing the lead. At the 600m, Let It Rock had Let Go Lenni for company. The pair were a length clear of Convict, with Eclair Desire (starting stall) on the inside. Emperor's Banquet (pacifiers) was a length away, followed by Emperor Max, Sacred City and Fielden Star (starting stall).

Let Go Lenni popped his head in front of Let It Rock going into the straight. Convict closed in on them. Sacred City made up ground on the outside of Eclair Desire.

Convict hit the front at the 250m and ran on to beat the late-closing Sacred City by ½ length.

 

TRIAL 3 (TEST & PRACTICE)

1 Golden Rabbit (Munro) 2 Freezemaster (M Kellady) 3 Rajah Brook (Andy) 4 Hint (R Firdhaus) 5 Mr Magnus (Moreira) 6 Darien Gap (A'Isisuhairi) 7 Zac Influence (Powell) 8 Dragon (Beasley)

Margins and time: Ns, ½, 1¼, 1½, nk, ½, 7¼ (1:01.71)

The field started evenly but Zac Influence soon dropped to the rear. Newcomer Rajah Brook, Golden Rabbit and Freezemaster disputed the early lead. Golden Rabbit led past the 600m by a slender margin over Rajah Brook. Freezemaster was a length behind. Another length away were stablemates Hint and Darien Gap. Then came Mr Magnus, Zac Influence and Dragon.

Golden Rabbit led into the straight by about a length over Rajah Brook. Freezemaster closed in. The rest were just having their day out at the park. Freezemaster, although not pushed out, made a strong bid in the final 200m but Golden Rabbit held on to win by a nose.

TRIAL 4 (PRACTICE)

1 Simple Pleasures (Powell) 2 Don Inaki (H Amin) 3 Live In Hope (M Nunes) 4 Rising Expectation (Beasley) 5 Domenico (Moreira) 6 Amazon Boy (LQ Kek)

Margins and time: 3, ¾, 1¼, 4, 7 (1:00.79)

An even start. Simple Pleasures and Rising Expection began best. Don Inaki pressed ahead. Don Inaki ranged alongside Simple Pleasures at the 600m. Rising Expectation was two lengths away. Live In Hope was 1½ lengths behind. Domenico was another two lengths adrift and was already being pushed to keep up. Amazon Boy was last.

Simple Pleasures broke away from Don Inaki, who was urged along, soon after straightening. Rising Expectation was still a couple of lengths away, followed by Live In Hope, who started to rev up. But Simple Pleasures just bounced away to win by a widening margin without raising a sweat.

 

TRIAL 5 (PRACTICE)

1 So Perfect (Soo) 2 Good Boss 3 Sui Generis (S John) 4 Two M And M (Vorster) 5 Breaking Vaults (Kellady) 6 Bedfordview (Amin) 7 Jackpot (Allpress)

Margins and time: 1, ¾, 1¼, ½, ¾, 1¾ (1:01.76)

A good start and a compact bunch until they settled down when Bedfordview had taken the lead. He was ¾ length in front of So Perfect at the 600m. Three lengths behind came Good Boss wide out, Sui Generis in the centre and Two M And M on the inside. A gap of four came Breaking Vaults and Jackpot.

Bedfordview straightened up first but could not shake off So Perfect, who strode to lead at the 250m. Good Boss and Sui Generis closed in nicely. Two M And M was ridden out but gave little. So Perfect kept up a good gallop to beat Good Boss by a length. Sui Generis showed some improvement to finish third.

TRIAL 6 (PRACTICE)

1 Magic To Win (Nunes) 2 East Coast Park (Allpress) 3 Live Well (J Verenzuela) 4 Peregrine Falcon (Moreira) 5 Big Heart (Saifudin) 6 Soon N Leong (Beasley) Margins and time: 1¾, ¾, ns, nk, 20¾ (1:02.23)

It started to drizzle just before the start. Magic To Win jumped awkwardly and was slow into stride. Peregrine Falcon was pushed along to lead but had Live Well glued to his inside. The rest, including Magic To Win, who made up ground rapidly, bunched up behind. No more than three lengths covered the first to last.

Magic To Win pressed on and joined Live Well at the 600m. Peregrine Falcon was a length behind and was soon joined by Soon N Leong, Big Heart wide out and East Coast Park on the inside.

Magic To Win cruised ahead turning for home and broke away by a length from Live Well. East Coast Park started to narrow the gap. Although he was racing a bit keenly, the leader went on to win by 1¾ lengths.


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