Fast pace suits Pinyin

The David Hill-Ivaldo Santana pairing continued their fruitful partnership with another winner on the board when Pinyin (NZ) (Pins) landed the $60,000 Class 4 race over 1800m on Sunday.

The English trainer and Brazilian jockey have now combined for nine wins this term, which represents almost half of Hill’s haul of 19 wins and a little over a fifth of Santana’s bigger record of 49 wins.

An unabashed fan of the unassuming but efficient rider from Salvador, Hill was quick to praise yet another perfect handling, especially given the breakneck speed during the early sectionals.

“The pace was ridiculously fast early, and that helped my horse a lot,” said Hill.

“He’s been a consistent horse to us and on that trip, you had to give him a chance. Santana rode him brilliantly.”

As Dark Pulse (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) came back to the field by the home turn, those who had followed too closely, also emptied out.

First to drop off was Cogito Ergo Sum (Mohd Zaki) after being up with the pace, but one-off the rails. The well-backed Alasamo was in the box-seat, but he saw fired blanks, too, when apprentice jockey Noh Senari scrubbed him up at the 300m.

Nation Theatre (Azhar Ismail) looked a threat but could not quite barge his way out and also fell by the wayside. Favourite In Fact (John Powell) was then being hailed the winner when he stepped up to the plate with a decisive burst at the 200m, but was soon cut back by Inspire (Manoel Nunes).

Just when the issue looked like it would be sorted between the fighting pair, Pinyin appeared as the fresh horse on the scene, overpowering both In Fact and Inspire with a superior turn of foot to score by half-a-length from In Fact, while Inspire wilted late to settle for third by a neck. The winning time was 1min 53.72secs.

By Pins out of Gifted Lass, Pinyin has now recorded three wins and five placings from 19 runs for stakes earnings just a touch under $100,000 for K Stable.

Santana said he had intended to be closer to the speed, but decided to drop back after he was unable to keep up in the first kilometre.

“I wanted to be handy but they were too quick. I had to settle further back than I wanted, but I wasn’t too worried as I know they would stop in front,” he said.

“I took him out at the 600m, and once we got a clear run on the outside, I was confident he would be right there at the finish.” – Source: Singapore Turf Club