Mr Universe a safe banker

The very fit eight-year-old gelding FORTUNEONEHUNDRED and SURE STEP are set to battle for top spot in tomorrow's opening event of the Sunrise-6.

Eight will go to the post in the 1000 metres straight event for $350,000 claimers, with the United States-bred FORTUNEONEHUNDRED expected to go off a firm favourite. The ultra-consistent United States-bred sprinter has won five of his past eight starts and lost another by a neck. In his last run, FORTUNEONEHUNDRED clipped Boffo by a head in an 1100 metres race on February 10. He returns a bit heavy but is so genuine it will be difficult for anyone in this field to lower his colours.

SURE STEP has a big chance at the handicaps. When the two met on January 20, FORTUNEONEHUNDRED won and finished two lengths ahead of third-place SURE STEP. There is now a 13-pound swing in favour of SURE STEP, but the big worry is that he will face the starter without the usual raceday medication and thus cannot be recommended.

Race Two over 800 metres straight for four-year-old maidens is tailored for PRINCE MALIK. He weakened in the final 100m of a 1000 metres race in his last run but had chased the leader for most of the way, and with nothing in this race to test him on the headlines, he

should win easily ahead of THEGREATEAXGERATOR.

MAKE NO MISTAKE

Champion trainer Wayne DaCosta is poised for a quick double in Races Three and Four. In the third, MR UNIVERSE, one of the top two-year-olds in 2016, returns from a near 12-month break extremely well-trained and will not be denied after galloping 1100 metres in 1:05.4x59.4 on the exercise track on March 3. He faced the starter just once in 2017, beating stable-mate Loose Cannon and clocking 1:12.2 for 1200 metres. Tomorrow's race is over the same distance, and now that he appears back to his best, jockey Omar Walker should make no mistake.

Walker is set to close the DaCosta double aboard GOLDEN BULLET in the fourth over 1400 metres. The seven-year-old gelding has dropped from overnight company to $450,000 claiming after clocking 1:40.3 for 1600 metres when placing seventh to stable companion Hover Craft on February 24. Two starts before that, GOLDEN BULLET slammed $350,000 claiming by eleven lengths in 1:32.3 for 1500 metres. Second in that race was CUP O TEA, a two-time winner in the $450,000 claiming group since that defeat.

Race Five should be won by the classy four-year-old DONTAE ahead of PRINCESS EMANUELLE, while the sixth should be won by POWERFUL RED. His main danger is FIERY PATH.

SUNRISE-6 SELECTIONS

1. FORTUNEONEHUNDRED

2. PRINCE MALIK

3. MR UNIVERSE

4. GOLDEN BULLET

5. DONTAE

6. POWERFUL RED.