Anthony Nunes

TRAINER Anthony Nunes is brimming with confidence after EL PATRON produced a bullet work at exercise Sunday morning, beating experienced three-year-old stablemate INVICTUS, a winner of three races to date.

"So far, so food. He came out good and I am especially pleased that he worked well in the mud," said Nunes, whose colt is the ante-post favourite for Saturday's Supreme Ventures Limited Cash Pot Only One For Me trophy race.

Saturday's 1200-metre event is the first race in the Supreme Ventures Limited Two-Year-Old Series, dubbed the two-year-old Triple Crown because of a total purse of $10.8m spread over three events.

After watching EL PATRON go unbeaten in two starts against his peers, followed by Sunday's exciting workout, Nunes all but called his shot yesterday afternoon.

"It's the first time he was working on a sloppy track and it was interesting to see how he handled it, pretty well," he added.

"He beat INVICTUS by about six lengths. I am very pleased. He is a very talented colt and I am very confident," he pointed out.

Although EL PATRON has so far won two sprint races, three furlongs straight and 1100 metres, his bloodline suggests he should stay all day.

"His dam, Lady Chiriya, is actually a daughter of LADY ANANDI, which makes her a sister to SIR MOHANDAS BABA, SIR MOHAN GOPAL and RESTLESS WARRIOR," Nunes pointed out.

"His bloodline says he should definitely stay and he shows that in the mornings plus the race he won the other day," he said, referring to the Rum Fire Dash in which EL PATRON came from off the pace to nab CANTARE close home at 1100 metres.

Surprisingly, EL PATRON is among nine of Saturday's 15 entries who are not eligible for the $1m bonus offered for a series sweep.

"He wasn't bought in the sale, he was bought privately," Nunes explained. "On the day of the sale, one can pay, I believe, a $50,000 fee to be eligible, but the owners chose not to."

EL PATRON is owned by Trinidad-based Barbados businessman Elias Haloute and Trinidadian Stephan Narinesingh.

Saturday's 1200-metre Cash Pot Only One For Me trophy race will be followed by the Pick-3 Super Challenge Trophy, at 1400 metres on November 26, before the grand climax at a mile, the prestigious Supreme Ventures Limited Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes.

The varying distances of the three races in the series, an added furlong for each jewel in the crown, creates a level playing field for the top two-year-olds.