Female riders to land first double
FEMALE APPRENTICES Mellisa Ward and Natalie Berger look set to share the first two races of the Sunrise-6 at Caymanas Park tomorrow.
In the opening event over 800 metres straight for four-year-oldand-up maidens, Ward should have an armchair ride aboard PYTHAGORAS THEOREM.
The four-year-old filly led for a long way in a 1400-metre race on June 23 before she was caught close home. With the distance significantly reduced, the Ryan Williams-trained filly should not be caught. In her first run over the distance last December, PYTHAGORAS THEOREM clocked 47.0 in placing fourth to Powerofgiving, who crossed the line in a fast 46.3.
1000-METRE STRAIGHT RACE
In Race Two, they will go even shorter. Ten will face the starter in a 400-metre race where BEAST, to be ridden by Berger, will go off a short-priced favourite. BEAST went down to the $120,000 level on February 28 and won by three and a half lengths over tomorrow’s distance. He went up to $180,000 and ran very well in a 1000-metre straight race. He was up with the pace for 600m before weakening late. He is now back to his happy hunting ground and should make no mistake.
Maidens will take the spotlight again in Race Three, where the colt SLY STALLOON and filly VIKUNA will have a battle for top spot. The former has proven expensive to follow. He has gone off at short prices in his last three starts but failed to reward his backers.
VIKUNA will run with the raceday medication Lasix for the first time and is the firm selection. In her debut last December, she was quietly fancied at 7-2 and ended up 13 lengths behind the winner, clocking 1:44.0 for 1600m. She ran poorly next time out on March 24 but comes back welltrained and should give an improved performance.
SENDAMESSAGETOMAMA in Race Four is another horse who has been disappointing her backers, and I will bypass her and select VALDERRAMMA.
This lightly raced colt ran very green on debut on June 2 but still clocked a good 1:01.3 for 1000 metres. With that experience in the bag, the Nuclear Wayne-Winniana offspring is tipped for a big run over the same distance tomorrow.
Take ZUGULU to notch another win over his favourite distance (1000m straight) in the fifth and LIGHTNING LILY to close the Sunrise-6.
SUNRISE-6 SELECTIONS
1. PYTHAGORAS THEOREM
2. BEAST
3. VIKUNA
4. VALDERRAMA
5. ZUGULU
6. LIGHTNING LILY