Nuclear Noon secures explosive win

NUCLEAR NOON dug in determinedly with Robert Halledeen to run down imported stablemate, GO DEH GIRL, at seven furlongs, sending a strong message to champion trainer Anthony Nunes that FURTHER AND BEYOND also has a home-based threat for next month’s 2000 Guineas.

Settled fourth off the pace of the seven-furlong event for non-winners of three races, NUCLEAR NOON watched as two of his stablemates, speedy HOIST THE MAST and GO DEH GIRL, alternated on the lead.

HOIST THE MAST soon peeled away from the seven-horse field, leading easily in a half-mile split of 46.3, to enter the straight ahead of GO DEH GIRL renewing her challenge on the outside.

NUCLEAR NOON ran the rail route into the lane and quickly went after GO DEH GIRL, who had hit the front a furlong and a quarter out with Dane Nelson astride.

However, NUCLEAR NOON coupled up nicely on the inner and showed a decent turn of foot to catch up with his stablemate inside the last half-furlong, powering home to land the event in 1:27.1.

Decent time posted

It was a decent time posted by NUCLEAR NOON, his second race off a four-month lay-up, considering FURTHER AND BEYOND and MINIATURE MAN’s dead-heat in 1:34.1, going a half-furlong longer in the May 8 Kingston, a grade-two Guineas prep.

Whereas NUCLEAR NOON announced himself as a Guineas threat, Ian Parsard’s BIG JULE, seeking a second win from as many starts, had his Guineas prospects blighted by a third-place finish in the Monday Morning Trophy, beaten by the filly, AMY THE BUTCHER and runner-up RUSTY.

Reporting with blinkers fitted, BIG JULE led approaching the half-mile of the seven-furlong event but was collared in the straight by AMY THE BUTCHER, carrying 104lb with lightweight claiming rider, Jordan Barrett.

Returning among colts and geldings after a commendable fourth-place effort behind 1000 Guineas favourite, SHE’S A WONDER, in the recent Portmore prep, AMY THE BUTCHER showed spunk to go by BIG JULE, a colt imported in utero, and highly thought of by his connections.

RUSTY closed late on the rail to grab second place from BIG JULE, who reacted by darting out under Omar Walker close home, a May colt still showing signs of inexperience on his second outing.

Racing continues on Tuesday, rescheduled as the Labour Day meet, due to tomorrow’s COVID-19 curfew.