Ability the cat among the pigeons

ABILITY COULD be the cat among the pigeons in Saturday’s Thunderbird, an open-allowance stacked with form at seven furlongs.

Reporting off a 10-week lay-up, after what appears to be a bad run at seven and a half furlongs on July 7, finishing sixth of nine runners behind MAMMA MIA, FUNCAANDUN, and EASY AS A. B. C., ABILITY can easily slip under handicappers’ radar among rivals with more appealing form.

To make matters worse, ABILITY, last year’s Jamaica Derby winner and Mouttet Mile runner-up, has been eased off the throttle at exercise by trainer Fitzgerald Richards, reporting with no speed gallop to his credit.

However, Richards could very well be taking a page out of ABILITY’s former trainer’s playbook, Patrick Lynch’s ‘long and slow’, which was executed with perfection in the derby. Instead of gunning his charge, Richards opted for a seven-furlong stride in 1:36.2, saving ABILITY’s best for raceday instead of leaving form on the exercise track.

ATLANTIC CONVOY and SENSATIONAL MOVE are hunting back-to-back wins whereas MAJOR DANGER is on a hat-trick and looking better with each run since refitted with blinkers. Though she appears outsped, the handicaps have smiled on THALITA, last year’s St Leger winner, Jason DaCosta squeezing every ounce by calling in Jordan Barrett to ride at 109lb.

Despite glowing form and handicaps, ABILITY’s rivals have never reached his heights, beating the best of his peers in the derby and confirming his status as last year’s top local-bred by chasing home ROUGH ENTRY in the Mouttet Mile.

ABILITY’s last run, carrying 122lb, was at a torrid pace, allowing MAMMA MIA 10lb and chasing cracking splits, which increased from 34.0 into 45.2, 57.4 and 1:10.3. ABILITY had swooped down wide off the turn but was too used up to have any chance against a hyped MAMMA MIA, who sprinted clear to win in 1:30.4, upsetting stablemate FUNCAANDUN.

ATLANTIC CONVOY has a score to settle with MAJOR DANGER with a six-pound swing in his favour after their August 6 battle at seven and a half furlongs. SENSATIONAL MOVE has grudges of his own against ATLANTIC CONVOY, who had returned from finishing third behind MAJOR DANGER to outclass the local-bred at six furlongs on August 17.

MAJOR DANGER, SENSATIONAL MOVE, and ATLANTIC CONVOY will be going at each other, none wanting to have too much to do in the stretch run. This scenario should play into ABILITY’s web when Roderick DaCosta produces the derby winner to pounce on tiring rivals.

ABILITY has stalking speed and a good turn of foot to reel in the leaders coming off the home turn. Though MAJOR DANGER has worked really well and could be at a stage of rapid improvement, a closing LABAN gave him too much trouble last time out, exposing what could be a weak chin to sustained pace.