Stomp The Rhythm to cause trouble for Perfect Brew

IN-FORM RUNNER STOMP THE RHYTHM could expose PERFECT BREW’s glass chin in Saturday’s Alsafra Trophy at a mile after his brave second-place run against MINIATURE MAN in the Yvonne Mattis three weeks ago.

Reporting for the Yvonne Mattis Trophy at nine furlongs with a strong five-length victory at a mile, beating TEKAPUNT and RAINSVILLE like an out-of-class animal in his first start against non-winners of four races, STOMP THE RHYTHM franked that form with his run against MINIATURE MAN a week later.

MINIATURE MAN turned up last Saturday among graded stakes/open allowance runners to finish third behind stablemates I AM FRED and KING ARTHUR at nine furlongs and 25 yards, signalling that his beating STOMP THE RHYTHM must be a marker race for the lower level.

PERFECT BREW is bound to go off favourite after back-to-back second-place efforts behind the three-year-old stars of last season, BLUE VINYL and ATOMICA. However, he should have certainly done much better than beating third-place GREEN GOLD RUSH by a length while being outclassed by ATOMICA.

In December, PERFECT BREW was beaten by 11 lengths by MINIATURE MAN, returning two weeks later that month to finish third behind PRINCE MARSHALL and POSITIVE ID at a mile. Entering Saturday’s mile against a super-fit STOMP THE RHYTHM, PERFECT BREW’s 1:01.2 for five furlongs last Sunday morning won’t be enough to overpower his in-form rival.

Prepping for his second run among overnight-allowance horses, STOMP THE RHYTHM galloped six furlongs in 1:14.2 on Sunday, a time attributable to the higher grade, signalling that he has come on a ton and could very well go gate-to-wire.