HE'S had his health issues and trainer-driver Michael Munro admits that Kalypso King is a pest, but on Wednesday night at the Bathurst Paceway he was also a winner.
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The three-year-old gelding from Munro's Bathurst stable took out the TAB Odds and Evens Pace (1,730 metres) as the $2 favourite, that victory adding to a third placing at Wagga Wagga earlier in the month.
It indicated to Munro that Kalypso King has overcome the issues which hampered him earlier this season.
"We've had a few issues with him health wise, he came back from the paddock a bit beat up and it took a long time for him to get right and then he got a blood infection and things went from bad to worse," Munro said.
"We think we've got him on the way back now. He's got a ton of ability so we've changed his work around, changed his feed around and it all seems to be working for him at the minute.
"The win was sort of half expected, I was more happy with his run at Wagga than worried about this. His run at Wagga was a super run, so we knew then he was pretty well right."
Going from barrier six on Wednesday night, Kalypso King began well, was able to cross to the fence and hold out Bill Shannon and Blaze Edition for the lead.
The Wade Judd driven Blaze Edition ($16) pressured down the back straight and again after they turned for home, but Kalypso King did enough to win by a half head.
Third, a further 2.6m back, was Bill Shannon (Travis Bullock, $4.80).
"He was never going to let them past, he just does enough to keep his head in front and if they get close he puts a bit more in. He's a pretty intelligent horse, he knows his job," Munro said.
"He's like a kid, he's that annoying, he's a pest, he treats it all as a game, so when he start taking it seriously he'll be a nice horse.
"He was quite happy to see Juddy [Wade Judd] roll up beside him, then when he got around the turn he realised he was getting a bit close and started to lift."
The win was the fourth in 28 starts for Munro's Caribbean Blaster x Tinted Moon gelding.
