Warwick Farm trainer Marc Conners is expecting Pimpala Secret to "definitely be competitive" when he returns to the races for the first time in almost 12 months in Thursday's $65,000 Wagga XXXX Gold Town Plate (1200m).
The son of Monashee Mountain hasn't raced for more than 340 days after suffering a "slight tear" in a tendon. Conners said Pimpala Secret has done plenty of work in preparation for his first-up run where the trainer said the four-year-old is "well in at the weights".
"He's good and they've got a slow track down there so that's a positive," Conners said.
"He's been doing plenty at home and he's had the two trials so he's as ready as he can be without the race fitness.
"He's going good."
Almost a year ago to the day, Pimpala Secret had his moment in the sun when scoring a determined win over the talented Speediness in the Listed Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m).
Following that effort he went to Brisbane and blundered at the start of the Group III BTC Cup (1350m) before finishing three lengths from Falino.
It was after that run the horse was found to have suffered the tendon problem.
"On his best form he's fits into the race real good," he said. "He's well in at the weights and his best runs have been on the slow ground.
"I'm as confident as you can be first-up after 12 months. He's a 650 kilo giant so he's going to improve off the run but I'm happy with him."
Pimpala Secret will be ridden on Thursday by Nathan Berry. TAB Sportsbet has installed the horse as an $11 chance behind the Canberra trio of Zaratone ($4.60), Vilakazi Street ($5.50) and Onmorelookout ($6.50).
