Winner Winner

 After a short run of placings and missed opportunities, Team Pfieffer rewarded connections and punters alike with two brilliant winners last week. 

It all started with an enigmatic gelding called Sworn In at Nowra on Tuesday, when the maiden 4YO strode away with his first win over 1600m courtesy of a well-timed Bobby El-Issa ride. 

It came as a slight relief for Pfieffer, who had kept a close eye on the gelding after a hoof abscess created a small setback for his campaign, meaning missed gallops and new shoes in a less than ideal preparation over the past three weeks. 

"The hoof got better without too much trouble but he missed a few gallops and I had to switch his shoeing around a bit" said Pfieffer. 

"But to his credit he bounced back well, and I was really happy with the way he worked leading up to the race (at Nowra) in his new shoes; the rider was happy with his action and I was happy with the way he pulled up". 

Despite the fluent workout, Sworn In faced a difficult task after a month between runs, and thus started at the generous odds of $15 by race time, out of most form guru's top three picks and delegated a "sneaky place chance" by the on-course announcer. 

El-Issa had the momentum from gate 5 and after the break the pair had eased into a central position amongst the pack with a fair tempo set by Over The Air, who drew wide but pushed forward to take up the running into the headwind that swept across the Shoalhaven. 

Approaching the 400m, Over The Air pinched a good break of three-lengths and appeared full of running as the field panned into the straight. Sliding from an inside run to be into the clear and chasing, Sworn In changed legs, balanced up, pinned the ears back and after a tap down behind the saddle with the whip was edging closer with 200m to run. 

As Over The Air began to shorten stride Sworn In lengthened, and under hands and heels urgings to keep his mind on the job over the final 100m the gelding had time to prick his ears across the line and ease with a length to spare, leaving Over the Air to settle for second with Perpetual Motion making late ground for third.

"Sworn In too strong, in fact a good ride" sounded racecaller Mitchell Manners, and the trainer soon joined in praising El-Issa after viewing the race with a cold beer in hand. 

"He looked after him well in the run and got him out at the right time.

"But it was a big team effort to get the horse to the races and back as a winner" said Pfieffer. 

"A great win from him today, the old boy has a few tricks up his sleeve but hopefully he will be winning more races in future" said El-Issa, flashing a wink as he dismounted. 

By Friday the winning glow had slowly diminished with another working week almost over, but the high returned with an easy victory for Pelethronius at Canberra securing an weekly double for Team Pfieffer. 

Pelethronius had catapaulted from last to first at Nowra two starts prior before a "rock hard" surface caught the gelding off balance at Hawkesbury on September 22. 

"He is a wet track specialist who really appreciates the sting out of the ground, so I've been hoping the bush tracks were getting plenty of rain over the past month or so, seeing as Sydney is heating up" commented Pfieffer. 

Pfieffer took a gamble with Canberra's forecast and nominated the son of Artie Schiller for the 1600m Sky Racing Racecaller's Cup.  It certainly paid off, with Pelethronius enjoying every inch of the heavy 10 surface. 

"I had Bobby (El-Issa) booked for him but he was unwell, so he missed a double for us, but I made the late call to John Kissick and found a very capable replacement" said Pfieffer. 

The 25-year-old Kissick was a handy apprentice in his early days for the leading trainer Chris Waller, but chose to stay in the country and enjoys a steady stream of rides around the circuit with a 20% winners to runners strike rate this season. 

Kissick rated the race beautifully, as even with just seven runners in the field the pace was genuine thanks to strong early sectionals from Brimstone and Dylan's Romance, allowing Pelethronius to ease from the outside gate and settle at the rear of the field along the rail. 

Tracking up with the field as they approached the corner under his own steam, Pelethronius was the widest runner but building a winning momentum passing the 400m. Given a few taps with the whip and pushed out strongly by Kissick, Pelelthronius swallowed Zaritzie who tried to pinch a break and found plenty over the concluding stages to be a decisive winner. 

"Great win, they went hammer and tong up front early which (suited) this horse. Full credit to Dave and the owners" said Kissick post-race. 

Sky Racing's regular country presenter John Scorse added further appraisal to the gelding's third win from seven starts, having added Pelethronius to the "black book" after winning at Nowra. 

"He is a talented horse heading forward for sure" said Scorse. 

The wet track surely aided Pelethronius yet his trainer could not forget the textbook ride offered by the stand-in rider.

"Kissick didn't panic when the field charged a bit during the run, and it was a really well-timed ride that got him home" praised Pfieffer.

Pfieffer admits it will be hard to find another wet track for Pelethronius heading forward, reminded of the hot weather to come with a 30-degree day in Warwick Farm on Monday, but has a sneaking hope of another "bush bog track" in pursuit of the winners circle.