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Unbeaten in two starts racing up with the pace, Sun Ops gets a solid chance to enhance the perfect record further this Sunday, but jockey Oscar Chavez cautioned that the speedy son of I Am Invincible will still have to raise his game.
The Panamanian rider sees a few hurdles lying along the way in the $70,000 Class 3 race over 1100m this time, but on the brighter side, he is convinced trainer Desmond Koh's exciting find is not a one-trick pony, which widens his three-peat prospects.
"He won well with me, but he has to step up on both his condition and ability to win his next race. It's a step-up in class," said the experienced hoop.
"He must have naturally improved, but I do think he's better than what he was at his last win.
"I galloped him on Tuesday, and he had a good 1000m blowout. He was comfortable and he pulled up well and happy."
Race-wise Chavez has partnered Sun Ops only once, which was at the second win in a Class 3 1100m race on April 18 when debut winning partner and heavyweight jockey Noh Senari could not make the 56.5kgs weight.
Darting to the front from barrier No 2, the Sun Bloodstock Racing Stable-owned four-year-old took no prisoners, routing his rivals with a commanding all-the-way win.
The debut win under Noh in a Class 4 1000m race two months earlier was almost similar, except that he didn't take the outright lead until the top of the straight.
"He's the type of horse who allows you to put him anywhere you want him to be," said Chavez, who is persuaded the former two-time Australian winner over 900m (Newcastle) when prepared by Gerald Ryan as Covert Ops for the same Sun connections is not all that one-dimensional.
"Every race is different and it's up to the jockey to decide how they want to ride their horse. He's drawn wide in a very competitive race with some quality horses, but not as wide as the three horses I think are his most serious rivals.
"Both Siam Warrior (13) and I Am Sacred (11) have a bad draw (11). Songgong Hera has also drawn wider (12), plus I feel he has to really improve in such a race.
"If my horse has taken natural improvement from his last start, I think he can still get the job done."
