Santorini to rebound in Trainers’ Trophy

BEATEN by the trip and handicaps last time out, unable to reel in quicker UNRULY BOSS at a mile on November 6, SANTORINI has the ball in his court on Saturday, going nine furlongs and 25 yards in the United Racehorse Trainers Association Trophy.

Though catching UNRULY BOSS with each of his long strides, SANTORINI was really dead in the water from the overnight programme was released - a horse who ran his best races on the route course, including a victory over derby runner-up, BILLY WHIZZ - taking on a hot run-on sprinter, who had won pulling a train at six furlongs in 1:12.1.

To make matters worse, SANTORINI was two pounds heavier than lone-speed UNRULY BOSS, who clipped a six-furlong split of 1:12.0 into the lane. Though two and a half lengths clear a furlong out in 1:25.2, UNRULY BOSS only managed to get home by a diminishing three-quarter length from SANTORINI.

The rematch, another saga in the Anthony Nunes-Jason DaCosta stakes battle, is shaping up to be a horse of a different colour. SANTORINI has a four-pound weight swing, the distance and company to keep UNRULY BOSS honest for a long way.

Ian Parsard's BIG JULE, who SANTORINI had beaten into fourth place in the Winston Griffiths, at nine and a half furlongs, when collaring BILLY WHIZZ, returns off a two-month lay-up working pretty decent for another shot at the route course.

Imported in-utero, BIG JULE won by 18 lengths in June, going nine furlongs and 25 yards, before finishing fourth in August's Jamaica Derby for which he had suffered a setback. Running a month later in the Winston Griffiths, it was a combination of BIG JULE and REGAL AND ROYAL that had softened up BILLY WHIZZ for SANTORINI to pounce a furlong out.

Despite BIG JULE having the weight and pace to keep topweight UNRULY BOSS busy on the lead, Nunes, it appears, is taking no chances and has thrown in an improved BERN NOTICE for good measure. BERN NOTICE was recently denied a hat-trick of wins by DaCosta's no-nonsense American-bred, I AM FRED, who clocked an eye-catching 1:32.4 at seven and a half furlongs.

DaCosta's IANNAI LINKS lacks the class to match the top two whereas Richard Azan's DADDY JONES returns rather quickly, too soon, after finishing down the track in The Jamaica Cup a week ago. In any event, SANTORINI has his ticket, turning the tables on him in the Winston Griffiths when Nunes removed the tongue tie after losing to the grey in June.