Bootylicious’ favourable weight gives her the edge

BOOTYLICIOUS’ HANDICAP reprieve, coming in at 117lb for Saturday’s Reggae Trophy, in receipt of weight from all but MAMMA MIA and CHAMPION BUBBLER, hands the five-year-old speedster a significant advantage at five furlongs straight.

Last out March 8 in the SVREL 8th Anniversary Trophy at five and a half furlongs, BOOTYLICIOUS’ attempt at a fourth straight win came to a screeching halt under topweight 126lb. Allowing all but ATLANTIC CONVOY tons of weight, BOOTYLICIOUS never got a break on the lead, tackled by CALIFORNIA CROWN with 102lb.

Pressed by a horse running 24lb lighter in splits of 22.4 and 34.3 for the first three furlongs, BOOTYLICIOUS appeared dull coming off the turn before being drifted in the stretch run by CALIFORNIA CROWN under left-handed whipping.

DIGITAL ONE, who stalked the leaders into the lane, enjoyed a perfect rail run and quickened a furlong and a half out to streak four and a half clear for back-to-back wins topped by a hat-trick three weeks later.

Handicaps suggested the odds were against BOOTYLICIOUS logging a fourth consecutive win, allowing CALIFORNIA CROWN 24lb in a speed duel. Both blew up midway the stretch run, giving way to DIGITAL ONE with 115lb, all of 11lb lighter than BOOTYLICIOUS.

Returning at 117lb out the straight course, BOOTYLICIOUS will be tough to beat with an 18lb weight swing in her favour against DIGITAL ONE, who already has a terrible draw at post-position one. In a classic case of ‘same knife stick goat, stick sheep’, DIGITAL ONE has been bumped to 124lb for a four-and-a-half length win in a collapsed pace.

Though PACK PLAYS’ connections have called in claiming rider Richie Shakes to slip seven pounds off the speedster, who wired INSPIRE FORCE and BLUE VINYL two Saturdays ago at six and a half furlongs, renewing rivalry with BOOTYLICIOUS won’t rekindle fond memories for the American.

A nine-pound weight swing goes against BOOTYLICIOUS from her Chris Armond Sprint victory on Christmas Eve, when she dismissed PACK PLAYS on the lead and held off DESERT OF MALIBU in a fast 1:05.4 at five and a half furlongs.

However, close scrutiny of PACK PLAYS’ form shows that the four-year-old American has a glass chin against matching speed, none of his three victories, locally, being dash races but, instead, against middle-distance runners at six and a half furlongs, just outside a sprint.

Similarly, MAMMA MIA, who appears to have the handicaps in her favour at 104lb, has not won a sprint in ages. Her two attempts at six furlongs, 2023 and 2024, ended down the track.