Billy Whizz to turn tables on Santorini

LEADING Jason DaCosta by the cost of a candy atop the trainers' stakes standings, heading into Saturday's meet, Anthony Nunes is hoping to pull off another upset with SANTORINI in the Royal Dad Trophy after flooring his rival's BILLY WHIZZ at nine and a half furlongs on September 4.

Desperate times called for desperate measures, forcing Nunes to try something new in the Winston 'Fanna' Griffiths with SANTORINI, who Guineas fourth-place and derby runner-up BILLY WHIZZ had beaten street and lane in at least three previous meetings.

Running without the tongue tie for the first time in 11 races, SANTORINI turned for home fifth in the Winston Griffiths, behind REGAL AND ROYAL, BIG JULE, BILLY WHIZZ and IANZHA LINKS going at each other, before quickening to lead a furlong out.

Brave BILLY WHIZZ tried to make a fight of it but topweight 126lb proved too much, allowing SANTORINI nine pounds after making a bid alongside BIG JULE from the half-mile marker. However, giving up nine pounds in a length-and-quarter loss going around the park was a big run from BILLY WHIZZ, who now has the handicaps in his favour.

Reporting at 115lb, getting six pounds from SANTORINI, a jaw-dropping 15lb swing, has virtually handed BILLY WHIZZ the trophy from nominations. DaCosta has seemingly gone out to scrape every last dollar he can squeeze from the $930,000 purse, fielding five runners in the eight-horse field.

Not only does he have a 15lb weight swing to his advantage, BILLY WHIZZ will prefer the shorter trip with practically no matching speed to keep him honest, giving Dick Cardenas what he enjoys best, a hassle-free race.

Unless SANTORINI has transformed a-la CALCULUS, BILLY WHIZZ should hop to the front whenever Cardenas asks, especially after exciting his connections with 1:27.4 for seven furlongs at exercise last Saturday morning.

The last time he carried anything close to 115lb, BILLY WHIZZ was zooming away from REGAL AND ROYAL at six furlongs, clocking 1:13.2 on July 10.