Sip champagne with Fantastic Story

FANTASTIC STORY is set to gain a well-deserved graded success in the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Stakes at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, today. Trainer Grant Lourenco’s lightly raced colt showed a touch of class early in his career and when upped in class acquitted himself well in top company last season. He chalked up victories as a two-year-old and showed much improved form in the Sagicor Independence Cup Trophy, where he finished second to Miss Lover Lover, beaten by a quarter of a length, and may have won that turf event had he not been pocketed at a crucial point of the race on the backstretch.

This improving sort returned to the sand course to post a victory in handicap company, then found Outswinger too good two months late, and closed off his campaign with a fifth placed finish in his toughest encounter, the Guardian Gold Cup. The four-year-old son of Atticus/Romantic Story was given a one month rest and opened his account first time of asking this season, putting in a fine front-running performance under jockey Brian Harding to score readily at the Handicap I level. That was a top class performance under topweight and a repeat could be good enough to land the top prize in today’s 1600 metres Grade II contest highlighting today’s ten-race programme.

But today’s event would by no means be a walk-in-the-park as there is  a wealth of talent, including two-time  “Horse Of The Year” and stablemate Sugar Mike, Trintrac Stewards Cup winner Cash Wager and runner-up Miss Lover, and Invincibility, who has shown a liking for the turf, with a victory over Sugar Mike. Cash Wager had only one start on the inner circuit.  The Champion Sprinter of last year was by no means disgraced in the Guardian Gold Cup, finishing fourth in that 2000 metres event. The John O’Brien trained seven-year-old horse is nicely handicapped with 53 kilos and with his ability to stalk the pace should be more at home over today’s trip.

Miss Lover Lover is a genuine sort but the winner of four races on the grass from seven outings may find the job of having to concede weight to this bunch a tough order. Sugar Mike on the other hand is accustomed to shouldering topweight, but the son of Ponche/No Sugar, who has been outstanding on the sand has not been the same force on the grass. His record of one win from four starts, the Sandy Lane Gold Cup included, tells a tale, and there was nothing at gallops to suggest he could turn things around on the less favoured ground against such elite company. Outswinger and Invincibility have shown a love for the turf surface and their good tactical speed make them serious threats for top honours in the $75,000 race.