Cigaretteintherain set to smoke
TRAINER Dale Murphy has a rare double lined up on tomorrow’s 11- race card, the speedy pair of CIGARETTEINTHERAIN and PRESCRIPTION.
CIGARETTEINTHERAIN goes to post in the 1000- metre round Frank Parham Memorial for two- year- old fillies, facing 13 rivals including a pair of useful- looking newcomers from Gary Subratie’s barn – DUNKIRK’S EVITA and DELTA DAWN.
Both Subratie fillies have worked well, particularly DELTA DAWN, who galloped a half mile in 49.2 alongside stable star NOON IT IS two Sundays ago.
Omar Walker, in the battle of his life to hold his threewin lead over Dane Nelson in the jockeys’ championship, has noticeably hopped off CIGARETTEINTHERAIN to partner DELTA DAWN.
However, stable loyalty could cost Walker an important winner as Murphy’s CIGARETTERINTHERAIN gets the ideal distance to get off the mark after three encouraging performances.
The War Marshall- Suhaagraat filly closed too late to catch GOLD NUT at 600 metres on her July 20 debut.
Punters backed her down to 4- 5 for her second start and she appeared safe when sprinting clear a furlong out. However, she was nailed at the wire by a storming LIAR LIAR in a decent 1: 07.3 for 1100 metres.
Even though CIGARETTEINTHERAIN was a distant fourth behind PRINCESS POPSTAR in her third start, she was the only one to race near the flying filly for the first three and a half furlongs, yet was still strong enough to feature in a bang- up for the minor placings.
PRINCESS POPSTAR returned to romp the Cash Pot Only One For Me in a stakes 1: 10.4 for six furlongs. Third- place BIG BAD LINKS finished second in consecutive races, getting one of those races in the stewards’ room.
Though listed as lame after her run behind PRINCESS POPSTAR, CIGARETTEINTHERAIN appeared sound enough when cantering Monday morning.
With no PRINCESS POPSTAR around to dominate on the lead, Murphy’s filly should go all the way in the trainer’s bid for a two- timer.
Murphy’s PRESCRIPTION, listed at 17 on the overnight for the $ 180,000 claiming event at 1000 metres straight, got into the eighth race as number 16 after a withdrawal.
PRESCRIPTION beat $ 250,000 claimers on his last run, easily brushing aside PRINCESS NIYAH and EMERGENCE at the distance on September 21.
Against $ 180,000 claimers, unless PRESCRIPTION is dead lame tomorrow, Walker can safely put the four- year- old colt in his win column.