Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Twelve months ago, exciting young pacer Sweet Pins made a spectacular debut with a brilliant win at Northam. But he pulled up sore and was found to have fractured a hind leg and his nearside fore knee.
“Vets told us that he was unlikely to race again,” said champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr after driving Sweet Pins to a runaway victory in the $21,000 Smooth FM Perth On Digital Radio Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This was the New Zealand-bred four-year-old ‘s comeback appearance and his second race start when he was not affected by the screws in his knee that were inserted in an operation after his Northam success.
“They were significant injuries that were expected to prevent him racing again,” said Hall. “It’s a shame that he had those issues. He is a lovely horse who has a really high cruising speed.”
Sweet Pins was the $1.06 favourite on Friday night when he began from barrier three and quickly zoomed to the front, and after a slow lead time of 38.5sec. he cruised through the opening three quarters in 31.3sec., 30sec. before sprinting over the final 400m in 27.3sec. to win by just under four lengths from $13 chance Sheza Sassy Lassy, rating 1.58.2 over the 2130m journey.
He is by boom American stallion Sweet Lou and is the third foal out of unraced American Ideal mare Pretty Pins, whose elder half-sister Carabella (by Bettors Delight) amassed $693,615 from 17 wins and two seconds (both behind the brilliant Bettor Cover Lover). Carabella won six Group 1 events, two Group 2 races and one at Group 3 level.
Friday night’s win completed a double for champion trainer Gary Hall Snr, who prepared Chase Me for the gelding’s victory 25 minutes earlier.