Sugar Mike ready for defence

Sugar Mike stepped up preparation yesterday for his defence of the Guardian Gold Cup title on Boxing Day with a handy piece of work on the exercise course at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. The “Horse Of The Year” who will race from the number one slot in Monday’s 2000 metres Grade 1 contest on the Guardian Life-sponsored card started at a good clip from 1000 metres marker in the backstretch and maintained the momentum to the winning line in 1:04.97 seconds. His work rider was never hard on the son of Ponche/No Sugar in the spin and kept him going, only easing, dropping his hands around the point from which he started. Nowornever and Aticka sharpened their edges from the top of the straight to the winning post.

The duo, who hold engagements in the Top Hat sprint for West Indian bred  three-year-olds non-winners of two races looked ready. Aticka completed her spin in 23.95 seconds, and Nowornever went a shade faster in 23.59 seconds. Also seen out doing a similar piece of work was Pave The Way. The Grant Lourenco inmate who had tongues wagging as a juvenile but went wrong leading up to the first classic seems to have stood up to his repairs. He showed his class, with 25.01 seconds posting for the 400 metres spin.

Lord Arazi and Eye Candy went to brush up their acts from the boxes for their fight in Monday’s juvenile features. The Glen Mendez-trained pair opened the boxes smoothly with their raceday riders, Gary Laban and Raymond Ganpath, and went at raceday pace between the 1200 and 600 metres markers in 35.85 seconds. Miss Lover Lover, who has sidestepped the Guardian Life Gold Cup also looked up to shape. The Trintrac Stewards Cup runner-up is being kept for the Sian’s Gold Sprint on New Year’s Day. She strutted her stuff over the last 600 metres of the sand course in 36.59 seconds with trainer Edmund De Freitas in her plate.

Following are the recorded gallops:

400 METRES: Aticka — 23.95, good; Nowornever — 23.59, good; Return To Sender — 26.79, handily; Fiery Babe — 25.72, handily; Pave The Way — 25.01, easy;  Zillman — 29.98, pacing; Deadsure — 29.97, pacing; Imasekha — 28.60, pacing; Retribution — 29.91, pacing; Native Love — 29.93, pacing; Morgan Heritage — 29.97, pacing; Fame And Glory — 29.98, pacing; Champagne Wager — 29.15, pacing; Sweet And Beautiful — 28.91, pacing.
600 METRES: Eye Candy and Lord Arazi — 35.85, good (Boxes); Miss Lover Lover — 36.59, good; Woman Of Class — 41.35, handily; Joan Of Arc — 40.77, handily; Seductive — 41.25, handily; Phantom Menace — 44.08, pacing; Takeover — 44.97, pacing; Aishwarya — 44.97, pacing; Soul Asylum — 43.66, pacing; Honor Bound — 44.98, pacing; A Bet Away — 44.93, pacing; Balthazar — 44.99, pacing; Bound To Dot Com — 44.92, pacing; Sea Spider — 44.95, pacing; Laure Lee In Flight — 42.60, pacing; Gray Warrior — 44.29, pacing; Copy Cat — 44.99, pacing.
800 METRES: Synergy and Flying The Flag — 58.91, pacing; Soundsgoodtume — 58.25, pacing; Creme Caramel — 59.00, pacing.
1000 METRES: Sugar Mike — 1:04.97, handily, Seattle Sue — 1:09.32, handily; Ms Ricky P — 1:09.38, handily; Sunday Jewel — 1:06.44, handily; Baby Mass and Piece Of Cake — 1:11.59, pacing; Twice Infallible — 1:13.97, pacing; Bajan Connection — 1:13.66, pacing.
1200 METRES: Ghost Meadow — 1:19.45, easy.