Racing: Pitman given green light

Horse trainer Michael Pitman. Photo / Supplied

A cautiously excited Michael Pitman has been given the green light from his surgeon to travel to Melbourne today to watch Savvy Coup contest the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley tomorrow.

"I get out of the hospital this afternoon and I'm on a flight first thing tomorrow morning," Pitman said yesterday.

"I'm not sure whether it's the right thing to be doing but that's what I'm doing. I've just got to take it easy and pace myself a bit, but I'll be right.

"It's an opportunity not to be missed, it's just massive."

Pitman, whose battle with bowel cancer has been well publicised, had surgery on Monday and has been recuperating in hospital since.

The Christchurch-based trainer is realistic about his mare's chances against a quality field headlined by superstar mare Winx.

"Honestly a pass mark would be running fifth. All up it cost about A$65,000 for acceptances, fifth money is A$200,000, sixth and seventh is A$100,000 and eighth is A$75,000," he said.

"For a broodmare prospect, it would be massive if she could run second or third in a Cox Plate. We're going into it eyes wide open and this isn't really our grand finale because we were always going across for either the MacKinnon Stakes or the Matriarch Stakes and it just so happens that the perfect lead-in race happens to be a 2000m race at Moonee Valley.

When asked how he would feel if the unfathomable did happen, Pitman was quick to show his competitive nature is still intact.

"I wouldn't be embarrassed to beat Winx," he said. "I know it won't happen but you do think about it and man I'd love to beat Winx, of course I would, you would never be forgotten in the history of the game."

Amongst Pitman Racing's nine runners at Riccarton is last start winner Elfee who is the top-weighted horse in the Spring Classic (2000m). "She's had 29 starts for us for 28 cheques," Pitman said.

- NZ Racing Desk