Michael Lee Bleeding sprinters can be a bit like rubber bands.
You need to put work into them to keep them taut and ready to go again, but without overstretching them or they may relapse.
Trainer Desmond Koh has been mindful of this delicate equilibrium ever since his promising speedball Sun Ops bled at his last start in August.
Once the mandatory three-month suspension was over, the Singaporean handler gradually brought the I Am Invincible five-year-old back to race fitness, complete with the timely enlistment of three-time Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes on his return to Kranji in November.
The road back to full-on racing for the two-time Kranji winner (1,000m and 1,100m) has required extra care, but it has all been worth it after Sun Ops passed the last two crucial tests with flying colours.
With Nunes aboard, he won his two barrier trials in style, with the second one on April 28 the more gratifying.
This story is from the May 06, 2022 edition of The Straits Times.
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This story is from the May 06, 2022 edition of The Straits Times.
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