Sotomayor set to strike

HELD by super-sharp RADICAL at a mile two weeks ago, SOTOMAYOR should be given every chance to make amends in tomorrow's fifth event at 1820 metres, facing Spencer Chung's staying foreigner, MY ELLE BELLE, and Richard Azan's unbeaten PEKING CRUZ.

Anthony Nunes' SOTOMAYOR has been gradually regaining his bearing since returning from a seven-month lay-up mid-March. After debuting in a sprint lost by A.P.I., his speedy stablemate, SOTOMAYOR returned a money-back favourite two weeks later, but still had some ring rust and got going too late to catch UNCLE VINNIE at 1820 metres.

Within a month of his return, SOTOMAYOR seemed his old self when virtually making all to beat SIMPLY OUTRAGEOUS at a mile, seemingly all set to conquer non-winners-of-four on his next start.

However, the grey gelding ran smack into RADICAL, one of his four-year-old peers and fellow classic contender of 2017, who had also gone on an extended break but had returned a month sooner and was running tougher races with bigger imposts.

Nevertheless, SOTOMAYOR ran well in defeat, a three-quarter length loss, shouldering an additional nine pounds and running the mile only a fifth slower than his non-winners-three victory.

Still heavy at 55.0 kilos for tomorrow, SOTOMAYOR is allowing speedy PEKING CRUZ approximately 11lb in what appears to be a Lotto Classic prep race for the three-year-old.

PEKING CRUZ's credentials are outstanding on paper, two convincing wins at 1000 metres straight, which, however, could be his Achilles' heel. Though 1820 metres is regarded as a sprinters' paradise, especially for horses running light, staying the trip still counts.

Bred Traditional-Patty Girl, PEKING CRUZ is a half-brother SUPERBOLT and FEDORA, sprinters who got no more than six furlongs each. That leaves PEKING CRUZ with a lot to prove, despite the featherweight and impressive back-to-back victories.

However, United States-bred MY ELLE BELLE will have no issue with the distance. In fact, it was after she was stretched out to 1500 metres, after two sprint races, that she impressed by beating fellow American SUPER SPARKLE and ROYAL AVIATOR, closing fast inside the last furlong.

Though she was beaten five lengths by classic-bound COMMANDER TWO and DRUMMER BOY in her next race at the same distance, MY ELLE BELLE did improve on her final time by two-fifths of a second, signalling her preference for a distance of ground.

SOTOMAYOR, however, was only beaten by a sharper RADICAL on last, who, up to a year ago, proved that he was just as good, up to a mile, by finishing a length behind him in the 2000 Guineas won by FEARLESS SAMURAI.

PEKING CRUZ will try making all but must be suspect against more experienced horses at the distance, giving the advantage to the closers, especially SOTOMAYOR, who will relish the trip.