England's Rose set for full bloom
Published:Sunday | January 31, 2021 | 8:59 AMAinsley Walters/Sunday Gleaner Writer
ENGLAND’S ROSE faces 12 rivals in this afternoon’s non-restricted overnight allowance, a moderate field of runners, three of whom have never won at the level – CRYPTOCURRENCY, CHACE THE GREAT and HARRY’S TRAIN.
After running EROY ragged on last at five furlongs round, clocking 59.2 in restricted overnight company, horses who have never won an overnight allowance, ENGLAND’S ROSE returns 10lb lighter at an additional half-furlong with no matching speed to test her.
Yesterday, SENTIENT held off CRIMSON by three-quarter length, winning tbe Bonnie Blue Flag Trophy in 1:56.2, denying his back-to-form stablemate, CRIMSON, a second straight win while carrying topweight 126lb at nine furlongs and 25 yards.
A grade-one winner of September's Chairman's Trophy, beating the previous year's Triple Crown winner, SUPREME SOUL, SENTIENT used his class to track ROY ROGERS from the clubhouse turn before taking over approaching the home turn.
CRIMSON, who won in a fast time at the distance on New Year's Day, 1:55.2, went in chase of his superior stablemate after going past ROY ROGERS a furlong out.
However, despite running 14lb lighter than SENTIENT, who had Dane Nelson aboard, CRIMSON's determined charge at his out-of-class stablemate was in vain.
SENTIENT handed Nelson back-to-back winners on the nine-race card, sharing riding honours with Panamanian Dick Cardenas, who opened the programme with 3-5 chalk, HELICOPTER, before returning to stun aboard 18-1 outsider, IT IS NOW, in the sixth for trainer Michael Marlowe and owner-breeder, New Blue Limited, who struck a similar blow in the following race with 21-1 shocker, BLOODSWEATANDTEARS, trained by Gresford Smith.
Trainer Fernando Geddes notched a rare two-timer with the co-champion riders, 3-1 chance LIGHTNING MCQUEEN with Nelson in the second and STORM PRINCESS at 5-2, ridden by Anthony Thomas in the fourth.