‘Grey’ looks super at gallops

Super Grey has been knocking on the door since being gelded and the manner in which he went through his paces on the gallops course on Wednesday clearly suggests that he has settled down nicely to racing and is on the upgrade.

The Douglas Bennett inmate, using the Paradise Farm Handicap as a sharpener en route to the Royal Oak Derby raised eyebrows for this relaxed performance over the last 800 metres of the course. The Jamaican bred son of Domino Jack/Youlanda, after making a light first round, was sent in the backstretch by raceday rider Wendell Bharath. Laying out beautifully, he posted torrid early fractions and was noted being eased a few metres before the post in 48.42 seconds. El Guerrouj, recently acquired by Maniram “Boboy” Maharaj through the claiming system was another to have looked good in his preparation leading up to his Humming Bird Stables engagement. The five-year-old bay gelding posted 49.67 seconds over the same trip, winning favour with the Arima Race Club official clockers to gain a “good’ in their comments column.

Melanie My Love, which hails from the same yard was another to have shaped on the same morning. Sent for a refresher course from the boxes the juvenile, listed to take her chances in the Poon Tip’s Stud registered 37.39 seconds between the 1200 and 600-metre markers. Sure Wager, having been on the sidelines for some time was another to work from the boxes on Wednesday. The Jack Debideen American bred three-year-old went a shade slower in posting 37.45 seconds over the same acreage. Trainers also used yesterday to sharpen the edges of some of their runners holding engagements on tomorrow’s 10-race card. And quite a few chose to please in the final workouts. Among the list were Tactical Bid, Hyarima, Redoubled and Van Nistelrooy, Millenium Reign and Isle Be There, Poetry and Bon Voyage, Cotonou and Baggy Green, and Soul Asylum.

Following are the recorded gallops over both days.

ON WEDNESDAY
400 METRES: Born To Charm and Ex Noble Girl - 24.84, good. Cheerleader and Billy Button - 28.90, pacing. New Star - 28.99, pacing. Skylite, Ruby Scores and El Presidente - 23.65, good, El Presidente best. City Of Lights - 29.93, pacing. Redoubled - 29.98, pacing. Chief Of Staff - 28.55, pacing. Java Takeover - 27.77, pacing. Lil D’Amour and Dare Devil Hero - 29.80, pacing.  Shezabute - 28.92, pacing. Man Of Class - 26.50, easy. Joint Venture - 26.78, handily. Movietowne Magic - 29.71, pacing. Phantom Bidder - 29.96, pacing. Zalyan - 26.36, easy (Boxes).

600 METRES: Ruby Rich - 44.96, pacing. Sure Wager - 37.45, good (Boxes). Game High - 41.36, easy. Bon Voyage - 39.42, handily. Living In Hope - 41.61, easy. Carnival Messiah - 44.86, pacing. Toronto Star - 40.17, handily. Kaser’s Gold - 42.28, pacing. Principle - 44.99, pacing. Affirm Decision - 40.88, handily. Maracas Bay - 39.80, handily. Lovely Pearl - 43.58, pacing. Full Of Promises - 41.48, handily. Royal Flush - 44.97, pacing. Mucho Tempo - 44.97, pacing. Ula - 37.56, good. Ex Renew The Dream - 40.42, handily. Serah’s Trick - 40.14, handily. Sweet Dreams - 39.36, easy. Dunsborough - 42.29, pacing. Seductive - 38.66, handily. Melanie My Love - 37.39, good (Boxes). Music Man - 38.02, handily (Boxes). Fresh Mandate, Bound To Dot Com and Atlantic Breeze - 43.66, pacing.
 
800 METRES: Super Grey - 48.42, good. El Guerrouj - 49.67, good.Travel Agent - 49.85, good.
Invincibility - 59.98, pacing. Mutola - 55.78, pacing.Uncle Joe - 56.90, pacing. Outrageous Victory - 54.48, handily. Ex Tytana and Caribbean Kiss - 58.37, pacing. Tricky Guy - 55.95, handily. Peace Consort - 54.20, handily. Creme Caramel - 53.21, handily.

1000 METRES: Gold Conveyor - 1:02.74, good. Phantom Menace - 1:08.95, easy. Mary Magdalene - 1:12.60, pacing. Soul Asylum - 1:06.20, handily. Blue Reign, Florida Flame and Life In Russia - 1:05.33, handily.

1200 METRES: Duchess Alicia - 1:29.25, pacing.

YESTERDAY:
400 METRES: Invincibility - 28.99, pacing. Super Grey - 28.20, pacing. Due Dilligence - 29.00, pacing. Isle Be True - 24.05, good. Groomsman - 25.33, handily. Java Takeover - 25.07, handily. Kalyan - 27.92, pacing. Man Of Calss - 26.28, handily. Trini To The Bone, Ex Island Chimes and Deadsure - 24.98, handily. Melanie My Love - 24,26, good. Principle - 25,00, handily.

600 METRES: Redoubled and Van Nistelrooy - 35.59, good. Hyarima - 36.83, good. Millenium Reign and Isle Be There - 36.95, good. Soul Asylum - 36.90, good. Poetry and Bon Voyage - 36.87, good. Cotonou and Baggy Green - 36.09, good. Tactical Bid - 37.53, handily. Champagne Wager - 42.42, pacing. Francesca - 44.95, pacing. New Star and Fresh Mandate - 41.62, handily. Lady Croft - 39.28, handily. Squeezed Moment - 40.25, easy. Skippy’s Dream and Stormy Season - 44.91, pacing. Ex Cabaret and Ex Crackajack - 44.79, pacing. Alibi Iki - 44.92, pacing. Regent Boy - 38.63, handily. Bound To Dot Com - 40.20, handily. Alamanamou - 43.70, pacing. Mandela - 39.59, handily. Over And Above - 44.95, pacing. Speedfuhso, Moulin Rouge, Jay- Low, and Chief Commander - 43.24, pacing. If Only - 39.69, handily.

800 METRES: Return To Sender - 54.11, handily. Cheerleader - 55.17, handily. Mucho Tempo - 57.37, pacing. Golden Honour - 59.99, pacing. Our Impulse, Skye Skipper and Lil D’Amour - 57.68, pacing. Cash Reward - 52.21, handily. Loud Music - 57.89, pacing. Chief Of Staff - 54.96, handily.

1000 METRES: Erin Dancer - 1:13.90, pacing. Not This Time - 1:07.67, handily. Maid Of Honour - 1:09.46, handily.
 
1200 METRES: Highness and Caribbean Kiss - 1:25.01, pacing. Movietowne Magic - 1:22.89, easy.