Keep an eye on Phantom Bidder

PHANTOM BIDDER has been knocking on the door for quite some time without much success, but he is one to keep an eye on to get on the tins. The John O’Brien-trained horse with only one win to his name over the last year, looked in  good form on the gallops course yesterday morning, registering a quickfire 1:00.33 second for his spin over 1000 metres with Millenium Reign. The American-bred son of Indian Charlie is among a list of 10 runners for which subscriptions have been paid for the Eric “Colt” Durant Memorial. But his impressive workout yesterday suggests he could be using Saturday’s  Allowance race over 1750 metres en route to his Arrival Day engagement.

Sugar Mike who will be eyeing the same prize in the 1725 metres turf contest on May 31, also sent out warning signals that he is coming back to his best. The Grant Lourenco stable star who copped the “Horse Of The Year” title last year was all over Pave The Way and Bound To Dot Com, covering the same acreage in 1:02.35 seconds. Pave The Way who is being sharpened for the Guineas disappointed in the spin. The Champion juvenile of last season who is being championed by pundits to be the next triple crown winner, never excited his more illustrious stable-companion. This colt owned by Junior Sammy, it was understood, returned a bit sore on his return to the paddock. Top Of The Class never fails to impress. Trainer Glenn Mendez-trained triple crown winner sprinted the last 800 metres of the course in 47 seconds flat. Second Chances and Nowornever who will try to emulate Top Of The Class  in the classics showed marked improvement, posting 1:01.46 seconds over 1000 metres. Other eyecatching gallops on the morning came from Hassan, Movietowne Magic and Big Game Hunter out of the boxes, Fantastic Story and Invincibility, Tactical Bid, and Naturelly Classy and Royal Miss.

Here are gallops recorded yesterday.
400 METRES: Hassan, Attitude, Massoud and Sa Jewaan - 22.84, good, (Boxes); Dottie’s Way - 23.48, good;  Perfect Gem - 24.44, good; Majestic - 24.60, good; Lovely Honoree - 24.78, good; Ex Milbage - 29.84, pacing; Return To Sender - 29.33, pacing; Buffalo Soldier - 26.00, handily; Fast Company - 26.98, handily; Tea Time Doc - 25.36, handily; Speed At Last - 26.29, handily; Javatakeover - 26.42, handily.
600 METRES: Bajan Connection - 36.37, good;Fromnowuntil - 37.19, good; Movietowne Magic, Miss Real Quiet, Sky Storm Rising, 2-Sharp, Tricky Guy, Bada Bing and J D’s Express - 34.45, good (Boxes), Movietowne Magic best. Big Game Hunter, Silver Bullet and Final Set - 35.66, good (Boxes); Synergy - 44.73, pacing; Dunsborough and Embedded Option - 44.97, pacing; Preffered Share, Aticka and Mir On Fire - 37.44, handily; Chief Of Staff - 37.38, ridden out; Over And Above - 39.89, handily; Kent’s Delight - 41.32, handily; Retired Banker - 43.34, pacing; Life In The Sky - 37.61, handily; Yashoda - 44.96, pacing; Hyarima and Inthelineoffire - 39.00, handily; Arumur - 39.68, handily.
800 METRES: Top Of The Class - 47.00, good; Punto A Punto and Evil Kneevle - 50.86, good; Soul Asylum - 48.66, good; Bold Fapp - 50.33, good; Redoubled - 50.32, good; Piece Of Cake - 50.08, good. Ballybunion - 51.74, handily; Smart And Lucky - 51.05, handily; Ocean Turf and Honor Bound - 53.12, handily; Vitesse Triomphe - 51.81, handily; Pure Delight - 51.24, handily; Joint Account- 56.83, pacing; Sou Sou Moni - 58.07, pacing; Hemlock Falls - 53.66, handily; Mandela - 56.31, pacing; Super Grey - 59.09, pacing; The Chairman - 54.22, handily; Bon Voyage - 57.64, pacing; Rocket Booster - 52.43, handily; Game High - 58.13, pacing; Flying Eagle - 55.72, handily; Takeover - 59.13, pacing.
1000 METRES: Phantom Bidder and Millenium Reign - 1: 00.33, good, Phantom Bidder better; Second Chances and Nowornever - 1:01.46, good. Tactical Bid - 1:02.70, good; Fantastic Story and Invincibility - 1:02.08, Fantastic Story better; Phenomenon and City Of Lights - 1:03.39, good; Naturelly Classy and Royal Miss - 1:02.70, good, Naturelly Classy better; Mucho Tempo - 1:04.56, handily; Morgan Heritage - 1:06.47, handily; Renaissance Man - 1:10.95, handily; Life In Russia - 1:14.99, pacing; Francesca - 1:12.40, pacing; Gray Warrior - 1:14. 70, pacing; Kaser’s Gold - 1:07.67, handily; Sugar Mike, Bound To Dot Com and Pave The Way - 1:02.35, good, Sugar Mike best; Indian Decision - 1:04/86, handily; Royal Red - 1:11.27, pacing; Rhythm Divine - 1:08.20, handily; Murphy’s Law - 1:08.20, handily; Isle Be There - 1:09.27, handily; Storming Wind - 1:06.75, handily; Travel Agent - 1:06.81, handily. 
    
1200 METRES: Daredevil Hero - 1:25.75, pacing.

1600 METRES: Sure Wager - 1:45.81, handily.