She’s a wonder, Miniature Man secure contrasting wins in Guineas

SHE’S A WONDER took over after a furlong in yesterday’s 1000 Guineas and won by seven and a quarter lengths, but MINIATURE MAN had to fight off NUCLEAR NOON to land the 2000 Guineas by a length and a quarter as 4-5 favourite, FURTHER AND BEYOND, finished third, giving credence to reports that he had trained unsatisfactorily for the one-mile event.

SHE’S A WONDER made short work of her peers, ripping splits of 23.0, 45.2 and 1:10.3 to cripple SECRET IDENTITY, who made her bid from the half-mile marker but was simply no match for Ian Parsard’s speedster, who coasted into the lane unmolested and quickened away under Reyan Lewis, clocking 1:41.3 for the trip.

The 2000 Guineas, billed as a rematch between MINIATURE MAN AND FURTHER AND BEYOND, who featured in a prep-race dead-heat, which has since been referred to the First Instance Tribunal of the Jamaica Racing Commission, turned out to be an anticlimax.

FURTHER AND BEYOND, who normally takes his races by the scruff of the neck early, struggled in seventh position as MINIATURE MAN and NUCLEAR NOON established themselves as the horses to beat after the first half-mile.

With tougher races under his girth and being more experienced than NUCLEAR NOON, MINIATURE MAN asserted himself under Dick Cardenas a furlong out to win convincingly in 1:39.3 at odds of 2-1.

FURTHER AND BEYOND improved into third coming off the home turn but was left with far too much to do, finishing three and a quarter lengths behind the winner.

MINIATURE MAN closed a double for Cardenas on the 10-race card after scoring with 11-1 upsetter, ESTALITA, in the sixth.

Meanwhile, champion trainer Anthony Nunes got some consolation for FURTHER AND BEYOND’s dour showing in the 2000 Guineas, landing the previous event with improved ONEOFAKIND, who outbattled CRIMSON to get home by a head with Dane Nelson in the afternoon’s open allowance at nine furlongs and 25 yards.

ONEOFAKIND won at odds of 3-1, taking over from KING ARTHUR a furlong and a half out, and repelled CRIMSON to the wire to notch his fourth straight victory.

NIPSTER, the even-money favourite and stablemate of ONEOFAKIND, ran no race at all, finishing down the track.

Racing continues on Monday.