Dream Ahead (USA) three year-old Sensei
will take on the older horses at Group One level at Trentham this Saturday.
Michael Pitman, who trains the colt with his son Matthew, has confirmed a start
in the JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m).
"Danielle Johnson will be riding him," he said. "He's bounced through his run
the other day very well and we wouldn't be backing him up unless we thought he
was a serious winning chance."
Sensei was caught wide and over-raced when eighth in Saturday's Gr.1 Levin
Classic (1600m).
"The plan was to have been four or five back on the fence and get smothered up,
but never mind," Pitman said. "I think he's a 1200 or 1400m horse."
Stablemate Savvy Coup was a bold third in the Levin Classic and a decision on
her immediate future will be made in the next couple of days.
"She'll either back up in the Desert Gold Stakes or go on to Ellerslie for the
Karaka 3YO Classic," Pitman said. "She's tough and she does back up well."
Pinup Coup, who finished third in Rating 65 company at the weekend, is a
definite contender for this Saturday's Gr.3 Metroclad-Terracade Desert Gold
Stakes (1600m).
Meanwhile, the Riccarton stable will chase a sentimental victory with Dynamic
in Tuesday's Evelyn Carran Memorial Reefton Cup (1400m).
"We'd love to win the race. Evelyn was a very good owner of ours and raced El
Chico and Southern Sav as well as a host of other horses," Pitman said.
Dynamic is in good form and most recently he was runner-up at Omakau.
"It was a good run and he's improved with the race," Pitman said. "He's drawn
one and there should be plenty of pace early so he'll get a good run." – NZ
Racing Desk.