Trainers’ championship hits high gear

ANTHONY Nunes’ PRINCE CHARLES has a score to settle with rival barn Wayne DaCosta’s ROJORN DI PILOT after decking Shane Ellis at the start when they met at five furlongs straight on October 12.

With the excitement high surrounding the trainers’ championship, this afternoon’s restricted stakes, at five furlongs round, will see the barns going at each other’s throats, even more so after one of $11m leader Nunes’ main Diamond Mile horses, BIGDADDYKOOL, died after galloping Monday morning.

PRINCE CHARLES has finished ahead of ROJORN DI PILOT twice on the round course and will welcome a return to the bends, especially with the handicaps in his favour, after running riderless and passing the post in front on October 12.

Having won that race, ROJORN DI PILOT will carry 124lb with Omar Walker back in the saddle whereas PRINCE CHARLES is down to 110lb, benefiting from apprentice Reyan Lewis’ five-pound apprentice claim, giving Nunes’ runner a 14lb weight swing.

At five furlongs round, it will be a mad dash with ROJORN DI PILOT, BOLD AFLAIR, MYSTIC MAMMA, SOUL CURE, WESTERN WHEELS and others, gunning for the lead, heading into the half-mile turn that nowadays gets too many eager riders into problems.

Breaking from post-position five in the 14-horse field, isn’t all that bad for PRINCE CHARLES, who might even benefit a little from his habit of not being the sharpest away, as long as he doesn’t overdo it. Due to the expected cavalry charge, being out of that fray, but within striking distance, possibly stalking the leaders with a rail run, could do the trick for apprentice Lewis.

PRINCE CHARLES has a good turn of foot, leaving the three-pole and entering the straight, which should take him past the early pacesetters. Carrying 110lb, the lightest he has been in his last eight starts, PRINCE CHARLES should outfinish heavier rivals such as ROJORN DI PILOT and BOLD AFLAIR in the stretch run.

Going five and a half furlongs on September 7, PRINCE CHARLES had kicked clear of ROJORN DI PILOT, BOLD AFLAIR and MYSTIC MAMMA, early in the straight, but started drifting out close home and was nailed by fast-closing CRYPTOCURRENCY.

Heading into his last race, when he had floored Shane Ellis, PRINCE CHARLES wasn’t doing much at exercise. However, he breezed five and a half furlongs in 1:07.4 on Sunday, beating stablemate MAMACITA’s 1:08.3.

Philip Feanny’s ENUFFISENUFF, a winner on last at six furlongs, hanging on by three-quarter length from LATAPY, has worked well, 1:06.3 for five and a half, last week Monday, a very fast workout, bettered only by SHE’S A MANEATER’s 1:05.3 and STRANGER DANGER’s 1:06.2.

Philip Feanny removing the tongue tie, which he had mysteriously fitted for ENUFFISENUFF’s third start, after winning with no such impediment second-time-out, could be what the grey colt had been longing for, making him a huge danger with the exact weight as PRINCE CHARLES.