AFTER posting Superbolt to win a fortnight ago, former perennial top-10 trainer Richard Todd turned out the six-year-old horse in even better condition in the day’s opener.

In the first batch and on the bridle to the top stretch, the gelding sprinted clear to win by just over two lengths under apprentice Kiaman McGregor. Balazo (Paul Francis) got the worst start in the second but quickly went by leader Fifty Cents.

Clear in the upper stretch, the six-year-old gelding gave his pursuers no hope and made it the first of two wins for trainer Ryan Darby.

In race three, champion trainer Anthony Nunes’ maiden colt Generational was condemned to his third second-place finish.

This time by first-timer the Richard Azan’s Laban as in-form reinsman Dane Dawkins secured his sixth win in the third race day since the COVID-19 induced threemonth suspension of racing.

Ryan Derby’s second win was secured when Pakman (Omar Walker) was always clear of rivals in the fourth.

From the fifth race onwards 2018 champion jockey Anthony Thomas and enigmatic Robert Halledeen shared the remaining visits to the winners’ enclosure.

Always going well, trainer Lawrence Freemantle’s Lady Carmen went clear inside the last 200 metres for Thomas’s first of three.

The 2018 top reinsman rode a double for former 18-time champion conditioner Wayne DaCosta in races eight and nine with Silent Seeker and Top Shelf, respectively.

The curtain was then raised for the Halledeen and trainer Gary Subratie show in race six.

From a good break, Rum With Me raced prominently until making an early dash for home with 600 metres to go but only lasted by a nose at the line under enterprising assistance.

Act two in the seventh was intriguing from the viewpoint that winner Nipster after scoring on debut, was thereafter beaten by his peers — the more promising three-year-olds.

Humbled on four occasions by juvenile champion Wow Wow, twice by the impressive Mahogany and once by the filly Above And Beyond who was in this field but never travelled well.

In the absence of the two big boys, Nipster had his field in trouble 700 metres out, and never looked likely to be overtaken from that point to win by 1 ½ lengths.

Wow Wow’s four-length slamming of improving four-year-old Universal Boss to win the nightcap for Halledeen and Subratie must have sent an intimidating message to all potential Classic aspirants.

The Michael Bernard-bred and Michros-owned strapping bay colt will reappear on July 26 in the 2000 Guineas and will be gunning for his 11th-consecutive win.

THE AWARDS

The Training Feat Award is presented to Gary Subratie for his excellent condition of Wow Wow for the colt to pass his first test against older horses.

The Best Winning Gallop accolade goes to Wow Wow for his machine-like performance. Robert Halledeen gets his second Jockeyship Award for his aggressive handling of Rum With Me.