Another Bullet shows real class

PATRICK LYNCH's versatile six-year-old, ANOTHER BULLET, defied topweight 57.0 kilos, at odds of 3-1, to beat late-closing LOTTERY TICKET by a length in yesterday's 1000-metre round open allowance.

Refitted with a visor for the sharp sprint, ANOTHER BULLET settled into third with Robert Halledeen, watching ARMAGEDDON keep SIR BUDGET honest in a backstretch duel.

Almost brought down by SIR BUDGET cutting in from the outside three furlongs out, ANOTHER BULLET recovered to chase the leaders into the lane and launched his challenge three wide in the stretch run.

Stubbornly hanging to the lead, despite sustained pressure from SIR BUDGET, ARMAGEDDON started giving way inside the last half-furlong where he was overhauled by ANOTHER BULLET running strongly on the outside.

LOTTERY TICKET could not capitalise on the pace forced by stablemate ARMAGEDDON, running on too late after straightening fifth with Gary Richards.

ZEPHYR finished third along the rail, relegating the early leaders, ARMAGEDDON and SIR BUDGET.

Oneil Beckford, Oneil Scott and Linton Steadman rode two winners apiece as apprentices dominated the 11-race card, which was closed by two-kilo claimer Anthony Thomas easily winning astride SIR JHUNJHUN WALA to maintain his eight-win lead over Shane Ellis.

Scott teamed up with Richard Azan for his two-timer - SIR PUDDINGTON and CAPTUREMYSHIP in the third and 10th races, respectively.

Azan, Steven Todd and Ryan Darby each saddled two winners whereas champion Wayne DaCosta landed the Ren Gonsalves Memorial Cup with 4-1 chance SUPERTRONICS, which helped him to overhaul Anthony Nunes in their battle atop the trainers' standings.

DaCosta overturned a $400,000 deficit, ending the day almost $500,000 ahead in stakes earned, picking up additional earnings from other placed runners on the programme - ROYAL VIBES, LOTTERY TICKET and ARMAGEDDON.