Ability, Is That A Fact outclass fields

ABILITY and IS THAT A FACT, runner-up and fourth-place, respectively, in December’s grade-one Mouttet Mile, embarrassed the conditions book and tote yesterday, winning as money-back favourites, well below their rating levels.

ABILITY, beaten by United States invader ROUGH ENTRY in the US$150,000 Mouttet Mile, finishing six lengths behind the Gulfstream Park winner, landed the third event at seven furlongs.

Despite winning last season’s biggest three-year-old event, the Jamaica Derby, which he followed up with a third-place run in the grade-one Gold Cup behind SHE’S MY DESTINY and MAHOGANY, before his Mouttet Mile heroics, ABILITY qualified for the event as a ‘non-winner of four races’.

With the conditions book ignoring ABILITY’s class, Patrick Lynch was assured a second winner after LION CHARMER won the fifth. ABILITY could afford to miss the break, loiter in fourth place, before making his move three and a half furlongs out.

Tackling United States-bred GEOLITHIC, whose two victories could not qualify her for the Mouttet Mile, ABILITY took over early in the stretch run, quickening away from rivals to win by a length in heavy headwind, clocking 1:29.0 after completing the first six furlongs in 1:12.2.

Putting on a brave face, GEOLITHIC stayed on for second, ahead of NORBLAR, but was afterwards disqualified, put behind unplaced PRINCESS AMAHLE, for interference shortly after the start.

Similarly, IS THAT A FACT, who motored from last in the Mouttet Mile to finish a length and a half behind runner-up ABILITY, had a field day against open-allowance runners in the Alexander Hamilton Memorial at a mile, lounging between horses while stablemate LUKSOL ran rabbit on the lead.

Eased into action a half-mile out by Robert Halledeen, IS THAT A FACT, second to 2022 Jamaica Derby winner ATOMICA at eight and a half furlongs in New Year’s Day, outclassed his five rivals in 1:39.1, logging his sixth win from 12 starts.

Having earlier booted home 6-5 favourite KP CHOICE at five furlongs straight in the fourth event, Halledeen shared riding honours with Raddesh Roman, who won the second astride BLU SENSATION among three-year-old maidens, before completing his two-timer with UNCLE NUB at five furlongs straight in the eighth.

Racing continues this morning with a 10-race card to close January’s season-opening meets.