Easy does it for Nuclear Thunder
Consistent Nuclear Thunder romped home easily by 1 ¾ lengths in an Optional Claiming ($450,000-$400,000) race to register his second win from 18 starts this season.
Trained by Phillip Elliott and ridden by leading rider Christopher Mamdeen, Nuclear Thunder (Nuclear Wayne – Royal Beauty) broke well from the starting gates and assumed a narrow lead, with Queens Highway (Omar Walker) following in the six-and-a-half furlong (1,300m) event.
Going into the half-mile (800m) turn, Nuclear Thunder continued to lead under a tight grip until entering the straight when Mamdeen said go, the chestnut gelding sprinted clear from rivals to win easily.
Flowers Thirty (Reyan Lewis) was second and Biblical Legend (Dane Nelson) third. The final time was 1:19.4.
Contractor goes one better
Returning from a 17-month break on December 6, Contractor finished second by 3 ½ lengths to Miss In Kiss over five-furlong (1,000m) round.
Contractor then went one better on his second attempt in a Restricted Allowance event, with a mile (1,600m) the distance on offer.
With Kiaman McGregor riding for owner Joy-Us Racing and trainer Patrick Lynch, Contractor (Blue Pepsi Lodge – Princess Terri) rallied to beat Sir Puddington (Christopher Mamdeen) by a nose in a time of 1:41.2.
Contractor from off was asked to take up the running and the four-year-old chestnut gelding held the lead comfortably with Cohete del Exito (Shamaree Muir), Sir Puddington and Nyoka Classic (Paul Francis) following.
Contractor then opened up on the field at the half-mile turn and entered the stretch looking strong. However, in deep stretch, Sir Puddington found an opening on the inside rails and surged to the lead but Contractor rallied to get the win. Cohete del Exito was third.
Seven horses claimed
Seven horses were claimed on the nine-race midweek programme.
Biblical Legend was claimed from Anthony Nunes by Rudolph Hardial for owner Baddal’s Syndicate, while Band of Gold was taken from Johnny Wilmot by Neive Graham for owner Ivan Rowe from the first race. Both horses were claimed for $450,000 each.
In the seventh race, Borris McIntosh claimed Princess Kavel for owner Raphael Gordon from Ray Phillips; Kingsley Davis claimed Colt of Arms for owner Felix Whyte from Shaun Williams; Gregory Forsyth claimed Court Call for himself from Anthony Subratie; Tensang Chung claimed Chinamax for owner Delcar Stables from Gary Crawford and David Powell claimed Burlin for himself from Roy Mathews. All these horses were claimed for $250,000 each.
Court Call makes it three-in-a-row
Eight-year-old bay mare Court Call made it three wins in a row after outbattling Burlin to win an Optional Claiming ($250,000-$200,000) event going nine furlongs and 25 yards (1,820m).
Court Call (Anthony Thomas) sat behind Smashing One (Oshane Nugent) who took the lead going around the clubhouse turn and on the main track.
With five furlongs (1,000m) to go, Burlin picked up the lead against the inside rails just ahead of Court Call who then joined the leader at the top of the lane.
The two, Court Call on the outside and Burlin, were locked in a stretch duel but in the end, Court Call prevailed by a head. Chief Secretariat (Paul Francis) was third. The recorded time was 2:00.1.
Smooth Criminal gets off the mark
After 13 attempts at the races, three-year-old chestnut colt Smooth Criminal earned his first win of his career when he romped home easily in a maiden condition contest run one mile.
It was an even start for most of the runners and as they began to sort themselves out leaving the six-furlong (1,200m) point, it was first-timer De Inevitable (Chalrick Budhai) who surged to the lead ahead of Ashley’s Glory (Nicholas Hibbert) and Super Stunner (Omar Walker) with Smooth Criminal (Hakeem Pottinger) among the backmarkers.
De Inevitable carried the field into the lane before giving way at the furlong-and-a-half pole as Smooth Criminal blasted by rivals to win by 1 ¾ lengths in a time of 1:41.4.
Finishing second was Sweet Surprise (Paul Francis). In third place was Devine Lexie (Christopher Mamdeen).
