Nuclear Noon, running for the first time from the stables of champion trainer Anthony Nunes, turned back at a decent crop of fellow age group campaigners by 1 3/4 in a three-year-old and upwards (non-winners of two) call travelling six furlongs (1,200 metres) on Saturday, April 24 at Caymanas Park.

With Robert Halledeen as his pilot, Nuclear Noon ( Nuclear Wayne – Noon It Is) broke well from the outside draw as Mum (Aaron Chatrie) and foreigner Double Diva contested the early headlines.

While navigating the half-mile turn, Halledeen pushed Nuclear Noon in front and from that point on, to the end, he held sway to register his second win from his third career start. The race was timed at 1:12.3 with accompanying splits of 23.3, 46.3. Double Diva (Anthony Thomas) finished second with King’s Magician, ridden by Robert Reid, third as a 95/1 shot 9 1/2 lengths behind. King’s Magician is also trained by Nunes.

“It is the first time I am running him. He had earlier broken his maiden in 59.1 seconds over the straight course when he was with Gary (Subratie), which means that he can gallop. When we got him, he had a small injury he had to get over, so we have been training with that injury in mind by not drilling him.

“For that reason, I thought that he would be about 80 per cent fit but he surprised me how well he ran as I thought he would get tired, he did not and really ran well. I am pleased, very pleased with the performance.

“ Nuclear Noon is a three-year-old, this is his third start, and he should improve from here going forward, how far he will go is left to be seen but the signs are good. I do not know whether he will sprint, stay or what, but for right now, he looks much of a sprinter, better said a come from behind sprinter but with these horses, you never know what is next,” Nunes said.