Wild Range Photography
Riccarton trainer Michael Pitman is eyeing a start in the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) with his Group One performed sprinter Sensei.
Pitman prepares the son of Dream Ahead in partnership with his son Matthew and was delighted with the entire’s effort to dead-heat for third in Saturday’s Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) behind stablemate Enzo’s Lad.
“Enzo’s Lad’s owners won’t be disappointed in me saying this, but Sensei is the better horse, he is only a four-year-old,” Michael Pitman said.
“He has started to get to where I have always rated him and everyone that has ever ridden him thinks the same.
“I thought Sensei’s run the other day was unbelievable, and the run before.”
Sensei raced wide throughout with no cover in the Telegraph after drawing barrier 17. He has won five of his 17 starts, with a further 8 placings and Pitman said Sensei was likely to head straight to the Oakleigh Plate without another run.
“He won’t have another run because we have learnt over the last six months that he is probably better off just aimed at a certain race and he doesn’t seem to pull too hard if we don’t race him as often.
“Maybe that is the reverse of what most people would think but he is still an entire and he won’t need a run because it is only five weeks away.”
Pitman is hoping to campaign his back-to-back Telegraph winner Enzo’s Lad internationally as well, and has already spoken with a representative of the Hong Kong Jockey Club regarding a start in the Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on April 28.