Feanny

PHILIP FEANNY's EL PONDEROSO has the scale in his favour and should land tomorrow's 1,000-metre seventh race after his solid second-place run behind BLAST THEM AWAY on June 22.

Floating between open allow-ance and grade one since December last year, EL PONDEROSO has consistently crossed swords with the quickest horses in the land, denying him his first win this season.

However, his performances against the country's best middle-distance runners and sprinters have been encouraging.

The United States-bred colt has finished close in races won by CITY FLIGHT, SAINT CECELIA, twice behind GOGO YVONNE and, most recently, BLAST THEM AWAY.

On June 22, EL PONDEROSO set the splits down the backstretch and into the lane at 1400 metres in the Eros Trophy. However, BLAST THEM AWAY, who has only been beaten in three races, by NOON IT IS and twice by SAINT CECELIA, proved stronger inside the last furlong.

Returning for tomorrow's quick sprint at 51.5 kilos due to apprentice Orlando Foster's three-kilo claim, EL PONDEROSO is getting weight from his main rivals - DOUBLE THE HONEY (57.0), TRADITIONAL PRINCE (52.5), HUPOMONE (53.0) and local-bred mare PALACE GOLD at 55.0.

At 51.5 kilos, Foster has the luxury of not putting EL PONDEROSO in what should be a breakneck pace with LASHING FORCE, DOUBLE THE HONEY, TRADITIONAL PRINCE and HUPOMONE disputing the lead.

Sitting just off the speedsters should be good enough for EL PONDEROSO to settle and pounce off the home turn.

He is nicely drawn at post-position five so he won't be sandwiched by the speedsters and should avoid traffic heading into the sharp half-mile turn by keeping lane five.

DOUBLE THE HONEY and PALACE GOLD are too heavy to withstand EL PONDEROSO's challenge in the stretch run whereas LASHING FORCE should fade quickly off the turn.

HUPOMONE and TRADITIONAL PRINCE, at 53.0 and 52.5 kilos, respectively, are expected to put up some resistance, both having won their last races.

However, both are stepping up in class from overnight allowance and won't be able to outbattle EL PONDEROSO whose June 22 run was against BLAST THEM AWAY, the second-best grade-one sprinter and middle-distance runner in the island.

Form players should take a flutter with an accumulator starting with CAMPESINO in the opening event at 1000 metres straight; I AM THANKFUL at a mile in the second; PREMATUREE in the third at 1500 metrtes; IMPERIAL FORTUNE in the sixth at 1400 metres; EL PONDEROSO and PHINEAS in the ninth at 1300 metres.