Selah Boy shows speed at gallops

HARDLY had the ink on Saturday’s Betting Levy Board Day dried, trainers took advantage of track conditions at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday morning to sharpen up their charges for the big Boxing Day, December 26,  programme. While taking in the gallops, turfites still talked about the BLB Stewards Cup feature and the manner in which Sugar Mike accelerated to win the 1200 metres race and crown himself Sprint Champion of the Southern Caribbean. And they mused over the possibility of  the Sugar Mike vs Top Of The Class clash in the Gold Cup spectacular over 2000 metres on Boxing Day. The turfites haggled with each other, giving their opinions as to which horse would win the Gold Cup.

But while they did this, and with the rains tumbling down from the sky, several trainers gave their horses some  extensive gallops on a track made sloppy. Star of the morning was Selah Boy who skipped over 1000 metres in the splendid time of 1:01.2 seconds. Later, Song Of Freedom showed off  his tremendous speed over the same distance a tad slower, clocking 1:01.9 seconds and looking quite comfortable throughout. There were also good gallops over this trip for Alert The Ship, who was timed in 1:03.2 seconds and Fast Company who got back in 1:03.2 seconds. Over the 600 metres trip, Gray Warrior who had a pleasing introduction to racing two weeks ago when finishing fourth behind Twice Infallible, together with Tazumi, stopped the clock in 36.7 seconds. Outswinger had a pleasing run over this trip in 378.5 seconds, while Groomsman showed a relish for the conditions underfoot to return in 38.4 seconds and Lovely Honoree ran back in 38.8 seconds. Two-year-old Return To Sender flashed some speed in galloping home in 38.8 seconds for the 600 metres distance. American-bred juvenile newcomer Permier Attraction was best over 400 metres, clocking a smart 23.6 seconds for the gallop, while Barbadian-bred Over And Above was timed in 24.3 for his spin and speedster Sure Wager got back in 25.8 seconds.

Here are gallops recorded yesterday:  400 METRES -  IRON WILL - 28.9; KALYAN - 28.7; MARY MAGDALENE - 27.5; MILLENIUM REIGN - 28.9; OVER AND ABOVE - 24.3; PREMIER ATTRACTION - 23.6; SECOND CHANCES - 29.9; SURE WAGER - 25.8;  TRICKY GUY - 28.4;
600 METRES - BANDINTHONG - 44.2; DAREDEVIL HERO - 43.2; DOTTIE’S WAY - 36.5; DUE DILLIGENCE - 42.3; GETTING SOMETHING - 43.5; GRAY WARRIOR - 36.7; GROOMSMAN -38.4; KARZAI - 43.5; LOVELY HONOREE - 38.8; OUTBURST - 43.6; OUTSWINGER - 37.5; PHENOMEMON - 41.4; RETURN TO SENDER - 38.8;  RHYTHM DIVINE - 39.2; SAMANA SONG - 40.8; TAZUMI - 36.7; TRINI TO D BONE - 42.6; YOU’VE GOT MAIL - 42.8.
800 METRES - CARNIVAL MESSIAH - 52.0; CITY OF LIGHTS - 53.0; ENTERTAINER - 53.3; FRENCH ACADEMY - 51.7; FROMNOWUNTIL - 56.0; GREEN LIGHT -55.8; ISLE BE THERE - 56.0; JOAN OF ARC - 56.5; MAGEN - 49.2; MORGAN HERITAGE - 54.8; MUCHO TEMPO - 54.8; MUTOLA -53.0; PAVE THE WAY - 53.1; QUEEN’S BAND - 49.9; REIGN OF FIRE - 50.6; SEAHAM HARBOUR - 49.2; STORMING WIND -59.9;  TAKEOVER - 52.9; THE CHAIRMAN - 56.8; TORA BORA - 51.5; XIAN - 55.0; YAA ASANTEWAA - 53.0.
1000 METRES - ALERT THE SHIP 1:03.1; BAGGY GREEN - 1:07.6;
FANTASTIC STORY - 1:00.0; FAST COMPANY - 1:03.2; FINEST GEM - 1:04.5; NEW STAR -1:07.1; SELAH BOY - 1:01.2; SONG OF FREEDOM - 1:01.9.
1200 METRES - HOLLYWOOD STAR - 1:22.9; NOWORNEVER - 1:22.9.