A drop in distance helped John Moore's "dressage horse" Pablosky rack up his third dirt win of the season, but the trainer and winning jockey Nash Rawiller both believe the four-year-old can perform away from the all-weather track.
Pablosky's rating will be in the 90s today after a gritty but convincing one and a half length win in an extended ratings band Class Four, and while all of his success has been on the dirt, Moore says the import with an extravagant action is anything but one- dimensional.
"He has got that high-knee action and those big feet - he is like a dressage horse - but he has done a great job and obviously we've found the right formula for now," Moore said.
A 110-90 ratings band dirt race over 1,200m on May 16 featuring the likes of surface specialists Master Kochanwong and Access Years now looms as the next test for Pablosky, but future plans for the son of Mastercraftsman also include the turf.
Joao Moreira used Pablosky's speed to lead a Class Two dirt race over 1,650m at his previous start, where he tired late and finished third behind Gun Pit. Not only has Moore said he will return to the extended mile eventually, Rawiller believes the distance at Happy Valley could be a suitable trip, especially if ridden quieter.
"He has got a good cruising speed, and while they are a bit quick for him over 1,200m at Happy Valley, over a mile he can get into a good position," the Australian jockey said.
It was a decision to not utilise Pablosky's pace that paid off yesterday as Rawiller sat behind a quick tempo set by Sight Believer and Oriental Prosper, before ensuring Yee Cheong Star stayed in a pocket after straightening with an early move on the turn.
"I think everyone was expecting him to go to the front," Moore said. "But we didn't want him up front vying for the lead, and I didn't want him back down on the fence in the kickback either, and he ended up getting the gun run."
Rawiller added that it was Pablosky's strength at the finish, not speed, that won him the race.
"We were never going to get involved in the speed given he was coming back from a mile, we wanted to chase," he said. "But he did ping the lids and I was able to put him comfortably behind them and I lobbed into a nice spot. I knew when I put him into the race he would be strong, and for mine, that was his most impressive win so far."
Rawiller was suspended earlier in the day for careless riding aboard Kirov in race six and will miss Champions Mile day as part of a three-day ban, but is able to ride at this Sunday's Audemars Piguet QE II Cup meeting.
