It’s old news now that former pinup horse Pakistan Star- let’s please stop describing the galloper as “quirky” and “enigmatic”- has moved stables- from that of Tony Cruz to Paul O’Sullivan. Who’s the bad guy in all this? No one. Not really.
Though the former trainer’s comments to the racing media about the stable transfer sounded like that of a spurned lover, who can blame him? He worked damn hard to get to the bottom of the horse, won two Group 1 races with him and yet was, apparently, one of the last to know about the move. Weren’t two other stables approached a few months ago? And with both having “no room at the inn”?
For quite a while, at least from the outside looking in, the relationship between owner Kerm Dim and Tony Cruz had been, well, awkward. Polite, but awkward. Perhaps there was even a sense of inevitability about it all?
Both had a memorable run with Pakistan Star and it’s no secret that his now former trainer had high hopes the galloper would win his last start a few weeks ago when ridden by Tommy Berry. Of course, Pakistan Star didn’t win. We could be wrong, but the booking of Berry didn’t seem to have been Cruz’s idea.
Surprisingly ridden to be up there with the leading bunch when always known for coming from off the pace, it was no surprise to see the horse fall back through the pack.
Though in a totally different league, it was like the ironically named Incredible who ran at Happy Valley on Wednesday, led by many lengths with claimer Dylan Mo aboard before finishing an incredible twenty lengths last. Ridden to ensure a class drop? Who knows. But “easy runs” should not be tolerated. It’s bad for racing.
As for Pakistan Star, though a fan of this intriguing horse with a mind of his own, he’s simply not a betting proposition. Hasn’t been for quite a while.
Pakistan Star running in a race always holds some interest. But this interest is waning. Those those early days when the hype machine rolled out by racing writers about a “viral sensation” has come to a full stop. There’s not much to write about Pakistan Star these days. Except for this stable change. Hype is a bitch. So are rushing out premature plushies.
Kerm Din is a nice gentleman. Tony Cruz is Tony Cruz with all kinds of things running around his head whereas the soft spoken and the sometimes befuddled looking Paul O’Sullivan is nothing like “Putha Man”. Who is?
What now for Pakistan Star? That’s up to Paul O’Sullivan whose stable very much looks to have its mojo back.
The new purchases, and with quite a few said to be very good, The Horse may be back with the popular New Zealander. It’s something not lost on too many with jockeys who, at one time, didn’t pay much attention to the yard, but are back with new begging bowls.
Getting back to Pakistan Star, whose move from Tony Cruz apparently caught the former champion jockey and trainer by surprise, one hopes that we might see the galloper’s original rider Matthew Chadwick back aboard his old friend.
Though losing once on the horse when it was supposed to streak home, the career of Pakistan Star has been a string of stops and starts with an ongoing jockey merry-go-round trying to bring about some consistency to the horse’s performances. But consistency and Pakistan Star are two different animals. They don’t exactly go together like a horse and carriage. In fact, Matthew Chadwick just might be Pakistan Star’s most successful rider.
Why he lost the ride, or at least never got the ride back, is puzzling.
With their always strong relationship, many say that the odds are strongly in favour of Zac Purton being offered the ride on Pakistan Star by Paul O’Sullivan.
Being offered the ride and accepting it are two very different things.
The Zac Attack is travelling in his own stratosphere these days- definitely the best rider in the world- and is spoilt for choice when it comes to those gallopers in the top grade. Pakistan Star remains in the top grade.
Unlike perhaps last season and the season before, there’s not a conga line of riders beating down the door to jump aboard the “enigmatic” galloper and one-time “viral sensation”.
Look who’s ridden the horse- Joao Moreira, Silvestre de Sousa, William Buick, Tommy Berry, Karis Teetan and, yes, Matthew Chadwick.
At the end of the day, however, whatever will be will be. It’s like the bizarre recent rumour that Chautauqua is being prepared for a comeback. Please, Gawd, no.
As for whoever rides Pakistan Star these days will at least have the pressure taken off. Perhaps this might see Pakistan Star decide to put his best hoof forward and decide to show who’s boss. But let’s not hold our collective breath that this will happen.
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