Perfect result at third start
After a lacklustre second-last at his first run in a Restricted Maiden race on May PERFECT was sent away for a five-months break, before returning last month in an Open Maiden race, in which he ran a fast-closing fourth to Flying Tourbillon.
The four-year-old son of Playing God was partnered by Thompson for the first time in a barrier trial last Thursday, running on to finish fifth behind the Jason Ong-trained Silver Way, incidentally a $161 surprise winner who took the opener, the $30,000 Class 5 Division 1 race over 1200m.
Upon dispatch, Perfect settled on the rails for Thompson near the back, while leader From The Navy (Matthew Kellady) charged forward to take the lead from Qiji Flyer (Daniel Moor).
Perfect ($41) looked boxed in turning for home, but Thompson switched his mount out the moment he saw daylight. Perfect responded with a pulsating acceleration to land the chocolates.
Caught three deep throughout, newcomer and $11 favourite Afalonhro (Benny Woodworth) was left with too much ground to make but still put up a gallant effort to finish half-a-length away in second place. Rocket Winner (Nizar Mohammad) was another half-a-length away in third.
The winning time was 1min 11.12secs for the 6 f on the Short Course.
Both Meagher and Thompson said Perfect brought his good trial form to the races on Friday night.
"He made a big improvement from last time. He raced wide from the wide draw then," said Meagher of his 50th winner this season.
"I thought he trialled really good last week. Congrats to (owner) Peter Lee, my good friend of 15 years.
"Ben rode him very well. A 12-out-of-10 ride!"
The fast and steady pace was what suited the brown gelding in Thompson's opinion.
"I trialled him last week and he felt really well," said Thompson, who will be returning to Australia after the season's last meeting on December 8.
"They went at a good tempo that helped him finish off well in the end."
Owned by the Buffalo Stable, Perfect has earned more than $12,000 in prizemoney for his connections at his first win in three starts.
