WHEN the programme for last Saturday’s race meeting was made public, discerning punters would have immediately noticed the entry of Nuclear Flight running over 6 ½ furlongs (1,300 metres) in the Open Allowance category.

The significance of the Nuclear Flight entry was because this filly by Nuclear Wayne – City Flight had developed a firm reputation as a five-straight specialist, in fact, the longest race Nuclear Flight has ever competed in was a five-and-a-half-furlong encounter on January 12 when beaten by Another Bullet. Now, Nuclear Flight was travelling a furlong longer with Another Bullet primed to conqueror once again at approximately the same weight.

Bred and owned by Michael Bernard and trained by Gary Subratie, the four-year-old dark bay filly in her third race in Open Allowance company gave a command performance guided by jockey Dane Dawkins.

Riding the bend like never before, Nuclear Flight stayed with the early leaders running easily before surging ahead after two furlongs, going around the turn to enter the straight with a lot in hand and despite the inevitable challenge from Another Bullet, continued to gallop firmly for a win by 1 1/2 lengths in a time of 1:19.0 seconds with splits of 24.0 x 47.0 x 1:11.3.

“I am extremely pleased with this performance,” owner Michael Bernard said following the masterful performance logged by Nuclear Flight.

“I am very pleased and I will tell you why. I specifically asked the trainer not to concentrate on the shorter races such as five and five-and-a-half-furlongs because if we are preparing this horse to show us if she is a Diamond Mile contender, she has to step it up to six and a half furlongs, seven or eight furlongs.

“So, I specifically requested that we should run in this race in order to begin to prepare our horse for things to come. What I saw today having beaten Another Bullet the way she did, I am particularly pleased,” Bernard evinced.

It was also redemption time for Bernard, Subratie and Dawkins.

On February 13 racing down the five straight, Nuclear Flight edged Campesino by half-a-length, however, she caused significance interference to third by the post Peking Cruz and was duly disqualified.