Rhythm Buzz to set the record straight
Published:Thursday | November 16, 2023 | 12:11 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
RHYTHM BUZZ has excuses aplenty after failing by three-quarter length to overhaul Canada-bred ATLANTIC CONVOY at a mile two Saturdays ago. Returning at nine furlongs and 25 yards, facing old rivals MONEY MISER and ESSENTIAL QUALITY in Saturday’s United Racehorse Trainers’ Association Trophy feature, the late-charging colt should make amends at a favourable trip.
Caught in a pocket five furlongs out, behind BELLA BELLA, as FEARLESS SOUL moved up along the rail and MONEY MISER kept the formation tight on the outside, Youville Pinnock was forced to shadow his brake to the half-mile marker while ATLANTIC CONVOY kicked away from STRIKE SMART.
MONEY MISER, with a clear run on the outside, made his move while RHYTHM BUZZ was still on the brake, shooting past STRIKE SMART three and a half furlongs out to go in chase of ATLANTIC CONVOY.
Hustled by Pinnock to make up lost ground, RHTYHM BUZZ weaved his way from second-to-last three and a half furlongs out to straighten wide, five lengths off ATLANTIC CONVOY, who swung into the lane two ahead of MONEY MISER.
Having lost ground on the far side, RHYTHM BUZZ ran into more trouble in the stretch run when MONEY MISER, who had already got the jump on him from the half-mile marker, continuously drifted into his path under Dane Dawkins’ left-handed whipping, causing Pinnock to switch inside, only to suffer a similar fate when Reyan Lewis started throwing the works at ATLANTIC CONVOY.
It was a brave run from the Buzz Nightmare-River Rhythm colt, who has come on a ton since trainer Vincent Atkinson removed the figure eight noseband after the Guineas and St Leger, finishing way behind runner-up MONEY MISER in both classics.
RHYTHM BUZZ has impressed in two victories at nine furlongs and 25 yards. Going two turns in the Royal Dad Trophy, RHYTHM BUZZ chased down ESSENTIAL QUALITY, who had destroyed stablemates and classic-placed runners, MONEY MISER and PRINCESS SHARON, in the Winston Griffiths Classic at nine and a half furlongs.
Finishing a nose ahead of MONEY MISER and three-quarter length off ATLANTIC CONVOY, RHYTHM BUZZ, after encountering traffic problems and intimidatory tactics, should set the record straight at his pet trip.