COLT OF ARMS, who lost by a length to Magical Selecta on May 19 over 1700 metres, is a good bet for tomorrow's second race, the opening event of the Sunrise-6.
Trained by Ryan Darby, COLT OF ARMS came into that race as the 9-5 second favourite but was no match for the fast-finishing winner in the sloppy going. He will go 100 metres shorter tomorrow but should still be very effective after another good second-place finish to BENEDICTION on March 10 over 1800 metres. The well-bred colt is a full brother to a former top three-year-old, Southern Cruise (Weekend Cruise - Honkeytonkville), and should be able to get the better of this moderate field.
Race Three over 1000 metres round for $250,00 claimers looks tailored for FORTUNEONEHUNDRED. The consistent eight-year-old gelding won narrowly in the higher rating group on June 6 and drops back to a level where he has been very effective in the past. The 4kg claiming apprentice, Roshane Johnson, has been selected to ride again.
In the fourth over-1000 metres, in-form jockey Gary Richards and ROYAL GIRL will be tough to beat. ROYAL GIRL won handsomely over the distance on May 5. She went up a level and was second to Prince Sammo over 1100 metres. She is back to her $180,000 tomorrow and is strongly fancied to score an easy victory.
The fifth, Race Four of the Sunrise-6, will prove to be a knotty affair as the field includes a number of last time out winners. My selection is BENEDICTION from the stables of the veteran trainer Stanley Findley. The four-year-old filly scored a virtual all the way five-lengths win over 1800 metres on March 10. She clocked 1:55.0, the same time returned for the distance by highly rated Sotomayor last Saturday. She has been away from the track for three months but has been in training and will run a big race. Close the Sunrise-6 with A SEH SOUP in the sixth and FIRST SELECTION in the seventh.
2. COLT OF ARMS
3. FORTUNEONEHUNDRED
4. ROYAL GIRL
5. BENEDICTION
6. A SEH SOUP
7. FIRST SELECTION