Master Of Hall hard to beat at nine furlongs -
Published:Saturday | April 27, 2019 | 12:17 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
MASTER OF HALL’s running style and finishing speed are tailor-made for this afternoon’s Bonnie Blue Flag Trophy, an open allowance at nine furlongs and 25 yards.
At 110lb, sharing bottom weight with stablemate PAKMAN, a no-hoper whose only role is to ensure the race meets the so-called six-starter criterion, MASTER OF HALL has only lost once in his last six starts, an unlucky second-place finish behind three-year-old RUN THATCHER RUN on March 30.
However, he returned on 2000 Guineas to not only notch his fifth win from eight starts but also equalled WILL IN CHARGE’s Diamond Mile time, 1:37.0, the fastest at the trip since SHE’S A MANEATER’s victory in the same race a year prior.
To say MASTER OF HALL has arrived would be an understatement. The four-year-old gelding debuted May 23 last year, after the Guineas, and three days before the Governor’s Cup, with hopes of making the Jamaica Derby.
He returned to the races on June 9, three weeks before the Derby, but lost by a length to ROYAL AVIATOR, and was not seen again until August, well after the classic season had ended, again losing after a bad break, which ring rust never allowed him to overcome, finishing fifth behind GIFT OF LAW as a 1-2 favourite.
After that loss, MASTER OF HALL went on a three-race win streak, over a period of six months, before being hindered when making his move at the half-mile on March 30, recovering to charge at RUN THATCHER RUN in the last furlong, losing by only a head in a decent 1:32.2.
Trainer Fitzroy Glispie kept faith with claiming apprentice Reyan Lewis and was rewarded with MASTER OF HALL’s scintillating mile run on Guineas Day, carrying 114lb, four more than he will tote this afternoon in a race which should set up nicely for him.
DRUMMER BOY and HOUDINI’S MAGIC will do themselves no good on the lead, after clocking 1:39.0 and 1:39.2, respectively, behind STRANGER DANGER. In addition they are both allowing MASTER OF HALL weight – DRUMMER BOY giving up nine pounds and HOUDINI’S MAGIC seven.