Thanks Forever worked in first-time blinkers at Sha Tin on Monday (20 April) morning and trainer John Moore is pinning his hopes on the headgear drawing out the little extra required to turn the talented gelding into a Group 1 winner.
The consistent four-year-old has worn cheek pieces in his last 13 races but will switch to blinkers when he lines up in the HK$18 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on FWD Champions Day this Sunday (26 April).
“I think he’s ready to win one of these Group 1 races,” Moore said. “If the favourites aren’t right on their game, he’ll be right there. And the blinkers just might do the trick.”
The handler watched from behind the starting stalls as Thanks Forever broke from the gate under work rider Romain Clavreul and worked down the turf track’s back straight.
“I was right behind there watching and Romain said he was in there quiet, so quiet. He stood there and did nothing wrong – that’s the quietest I’ve ever seen him in the gates, he’s usually a fidgeter,” Moore said,
“I was happy with how he worked in the blinkers and so was the rider, so the plan is he’ll race in them – he’s a relaxed horse around the stable but he switches on for race-day and maybe he’ll race more keenly, not worry about horses on his inner or outer. Whether they’ll make a big difference is to be seen – let’s wait and see if it does have its benefits but he worked well.”
