Further and Beyond will be a class above

FURTHER AND BEYOND clearly showed last time that he has retained some of his back class, making him hard to beat in Sunday's Hubert Bartley Memorial at seven and a half furlongs.

FURTHER AND BEYOND ran like a horse possessed for the first seven furlongs of the Alsafra Trophy two weeks ago, peeling 10 lengths from the field at the half-mile, spinning into the home turn eight clear, before splits of 45.4, 58.1, 1:11.1 and 1:24.1 took toll a furlong out, allowing PERFECT BREW to sweep by for a five-length win.

Going a half-furlong shorter should suit the speedster, who was only caught by PERFECT BREW, reporting with rich form and back-to-back second-place efforts behind last season's three-year-old stars, ATOMICA and BLUE VINYL.

Whether Ameth Robles needed a stopwatch aboard the 2021 classic campaigner appears to have been corrected by trainer Donovan Hutchinson summoning Mouttet Mile-winning Bebeto Harvey to replace the Panamanian journeyman.

Returning off the long break from a new barn, punters were sceptical of the former Anthony Nunes trainee, cautiously backing him at 9-2 against PERFECT BREW. Leaving the half-mile 10 lengths clear, it appeared as though it was FURTHER AND BEYOND reincarnated, making a story-book return from almost a year's lay-up.

GREEN GOLD RUSH, who had finished a length behind PERFECT BREW being outclassed by ATOMICA, has certainly improved since taking orders from Dalton Sirjue off an 18-month break in February. Finishing five lengths behind YELLOWSTONE at five furlongs straight three weeks ago confirmed GREEN GOLD RUSH's well-being.

However, FURTHER AND BEYOND, who was never in danger of losing the runner-up spot behind PERFECT BREW, finishing a neck ahead of STOMP THE RHYTHM is simply too classy to be doubted against weaker rivals.