Sugar Mike aims for Gold Cup three-peat

TWO-TIME “Horse of the Year” Sugar Mike seems to have struck a vein of form late in the season. And it looks like who beats the Sugar Dandy will collect the first prize in Guardian Gold Cup over 200 metres on Tuesday. The six-year-old American-bred son of Ponche/No Sugar who won the Stewards’ Cup last time out for his first victory of the season, strode out immaculately over 1400 metres on Sunday morning, finishing full of himself in a time of one minute 33.73 seconds. And that unbeaten two-year-old All For Java showed the form of a true champion, toying with the older Salute The Colours over 1000 metres in a handy one minute 06.47 seconds. Also having a good run over the same trip on Sunday morning was Why Ki Ki who outstepped Sure Park in one minute 06.42 seconds.

Soundsgoodtume flashed his brilliant speed in a 600 metres run in 35.65 seconds. Then Soul Asylum who is engaged in the Restricted Handicap over 1200 metres, had a sharp sprint over 400 metres in 25.16 seconds. But while Sunday was humming with activity as trainers got down to fine-tuning their charges for Tuesday’s Guardian Holdings Limited-sponsored Boxing Day racing gala, yesterday morning was a bit on the dull side. Copy Cat stole the honours of the morning with a swift gallop over 400 metres out of the boxes.  He returned in 24.38 seconds for the run. And Miss Lover Lover a good third to Sugar Mike in the stewards’ Cup, skipped through 1000 metres in one minute 05.88 seconds and looked very easy in the end. Most other stables seen out did some pace work and are expected to step up today and tomorrow.

Yesterday’s gallops: (Going: Fast)
400 METRES: CHAMPAGNE WAGER  - 29.95 pacing; COPY CAT  - 24.38 good (boxes); PRIVILEGE  - 29.98 pacing; THE TERMINATOR - 29.99 pacing.
600 METRES: GONZAGA, WINDJAMMER, CENTURION - 43.75 pacing;  CHIEF COMMANDER - 44.99 pacing;
800 METRES: CROWN POINT - 59.96 pacing; JACOBITE - 56.42 pacing; DINNER SILENCE  - 53.20 pacing; SALUTE THE COLOURS  - 56.00 pacing.
1000 METRES: BOLD AS BRASS  - 1:14.99 pacing; JOY, CUATRO TEMPO  - 1:14.90 pacing; MISS LOVER LOVER  - 1:05.88 handy. HOLLYWOOD HEIDI  - 1:12.23 pacing.
1200 METRES: TOP OF THE CLASS  - 1:21.63 Pacing 
Sunday’s gallops: (Going: Fast) - 400 METRES: CUATRO TEMPO  - 29.89 pacing; FOOTWORK - 29.91 pacing; MY BOY BABES, FUN TIME  - 29.06 pacing (turf); MISTER HYPORCRIT, GOLDEN GRADES  - 25.78 good (turf);  PRINCE CHARMING - 29.499 pacing; QUIET BID, PLAN OF ACTION - 27.91 handy; SARA’S SONG  - 28.00 pacing (turf); SNOOKY LOU - 29.96 pacing; SOUL ASYLUM - 25.16 good; SUN SPLASH  - 29.98 (turf ).
600 METRES: BLING BLING, FIRST AVENUE   44.4 pacing; BLUFF BID  - 35.83 good (boxes:  PRIVILEGE  - 44.70 pacing; KAYLA’S PRIDE, A PAIR OF WINGS, CIGARETTE  - 37.54 good; CINCO DE MAYO - 41.58 pacing; DAYLIGHT REPRIZED  - 44.97 pacing (turf); FRESH WINGS, THE NEGOTIATOR, SAM’S HALL - 37.09 good; GONZAGA  - 40.77 pacing; HATRICK - 40.03 pacing;  ICHIBAN  - 37.83 good; THIRD TIME LUCKY - 44.90 pacing; INTHELINEOFFIRE  - 42.00 pacing; JOY - 44.98 pacing; INVINCIBILITY - 37.83 good; ISLAND RUNNER- 37.14 good; PREMIER ATTRACTION, NOTORIOUS  - 37.46 good; PREFFERED SHARE- 44.96 pacing; SEQUIN  - 44.45 pacing;  SETTLED ACCOUNT  - 41.80 pacing (boxes); REALLY QUIET  - 44.92 pacing; SOUNDSGOODTUME  - 35.65 good; TOP OF THE CLASS  - 44.85 pacing.
800 METRES: BANDIKOOT, ADIOS AMIGOS  - 57.44 pacing; ALFIE MEH BOY, DUDLEY’S GIRL - 49.79 good; BASRAH  - 57.87 pacing; BRIGHT KING  - 57.22 pacing (turf); ENCHANTED LAKE  - 51.60 pacing;
FAIRYTALE ROMANCE - 59.95 pacing; FREE FUN  - 51.86 pacing;  HEAVENSENT - 53.66 pacing; INDIAN IZZI  - 50.34 good; JOINT ACCOUNT, SAINT VALENTINE - 57.91 pacing (turf); LATONIA  - 59.92 pacing; LIT d’AMOUR, SUPER GREY - 51.77 (turf); MAGNIFICAT - 59.99 pacing (boxes); TWO HARD, RAY OF LIGHT - 51.93 pacing;  SPEED  - 54.02 pacing; STRAVINSKYS SECRET - 51.33 handy; TWICE INFALLIBLE  - 50.12 good; TWO HARD  - 51.93 handy; WINNIE - 59.4 pacing (turf).
1000 METRES: ALL FOR JAVA, SALUTE THE COLOURS - 1:06.47 handy (turf); THIS CAT IS BACK, BON VOYAGE - 1:07.handy; BUCKDEN - 1:11.75 pacing;  DIPLOMACY - 1:05.06 handy; FORTHELOVEOFIT - 1:14.96 pacing;   FRESH PROSPECT, RUSALKA - 1:07.05 handy; MORGAN HERITAGE  - 1:13.79 pacing; NATURELLY CLASSY  - 1:09.2 pacing (turf); NEW STAR - 1:12.30 pacing; PEACE OFFERING - 1:06.52 handy (turf); SILVER BULLET - 1:08.52 pacing;  ST.MIKE - 1:07.12 handy; SMOOTHANALERT - 1:08.52 pacing;  THE NUTCRAKA - 1:08.29 pacing; WHY KI KI, SURE PARK -  1:06.42 handy.  
1400 METRES: SUGAR MIKE  - 1:33.73 handy.
1600 METRES: OUTSWINGER  - 1:52.59 pacing.