Having burnt his followers’ pockets in the season’s final classics, fourth in the St Leger and next-to-last in the Jamaica Derby, MAHOGANY, who promised much after being caught by WOW WOW in the 2000 Guineas, could start delivering on his promissory notes in today’s open allowance at six and a half furlongs.
Facing 12 rivals, headed by new king of the sprint hill, GOD OF LOVE, whose 130lb burden has been lessened by apprentice Oshane Nugent’s seven-pound claim, MAHOGANY has impressed at exercise and is weighted to run a cracker with 115lb.
The distance appears to be right up the Sensational Slam-Mete-orite offspring’s street, too long for GOD OF LOVE to use his blistering pace to steal home and too short for the other older class horse, SENTIENT, to close with 128lb.
However, MAHOGANY has cost his backers dearly since almost breaking the eight-and-a-half furlong track record, three weeks after ripping the fastest splits recorded in a mile race this season when tearing away on the lead in The 2000 Guineas.
First, in a sudden downpour on St Leger Day, MAHOGANY uncharacteristically broke slow and ran wide at the clubhouse turn, then made a big move down the backstretch to straighten second behind WOW before both were gobbled up by NIPSTER.
Though his stamina limitations were exposed in the Guineas when caught by WOW WOW, MAHOGANY, with doubts of his well-being hanging over his head entering the derby, was expected to at least show on the lead but was outsped by the filly, ANOTHER AFFAIR, who not only carried the pace but finished third.
With more than a month’s rest since Derby Day, MAHOGANY has nothing to complain about, distance or weight, and should capitalise on his good fortune. However, if he has developed negative raceday gate tendencies, the event will be thrown on its head.
If MAHOGANY fails to fire, a collapsing pace it will be with GOD OF LOVE being the lone speed for a long way but highly suspect inside the last half-furlong where Gary Subratie’s trio of SENTIENT, DUKE and NIPSTER will come calling.