Easy as A.B.C. lands Liu Chie Poo Trophy

IMPORTED COLT EASY AS A. B. C. yesterday maintained his turnaround in form, stalking rivals from sixth down the backstretch before pouncing three wide off the turn to win the Liu Chie Poo Trophy at seven and a half furlongs, pulling off by four and a half lengths.

Sent off at 3-1 among overnight-allowance runners in hunt of a second straight win after confirming railbirds’ whispers with a strong victory on May 11 at seven furlongs, EASY AS A. B. C. upstaged 4-5 favourite and fellow American, DIGITAL ONE, who got caught in a speed duel with NEO STAR down the backstretch.

Full of running entering the straight, EASY AS A. B. C. lengthened strides a furlong and a half out to race clear in mid-track, leaving STOMP THE RHYTHM and DIGITAL ONE battling for the minors with a winded NEO STAR, who made a brave attempt to make all with topweight 126lb.

STOMP THE RHYTHM stayed on for second ahead of DIGITAL ONE, who, for the second consecutive race, disappointedly finished third as a three-year-old after impressively starting her career with a hat trick against two-year-olds last season.

Imported specifically for last December’s Mouttet Mile, EASY AS A. B. C. ran woefully in the ultra-rich race, finishing next-to-last in his third consecutive start after debuting in September.

Having beaten overnight-allowance runners, EASY AS A. B. C. will next face open-allowance company, hoping to make his way among the ranks of stayers being primed for the third Mouttet Mile with its US$250,000 purse.

POWER FROM ABOVE earlier won the nine-furlong Valbert Marlowe Memorial Cup for non-winners of four races with title-chasing Raddesh Roman, making rapid headway from the rear three furlongs out to sweep past a weakening ANTARCTICA being collared by the field midway the stretch run.

AFFAIR’s disqualification, Reyan Lewis surviving a jockeys’ objection but not the stewards’ keen eyes after the cheek piece fell from his mounts’ halter swinging for home, started a two-timer for trainer Steven Todd, whose FIRST OFFENSE was awarded the event after closing for second at odds of 15-1.

Todd’s three-year-old, SHE’S THAT GIRL, made all in the eighth at six furlongs with leading rider Tevin Foster at odds of 5-2 to remain unbeaten in two starts, turning back WARSAW down the backstretch. United States-bred maiden, MAGNIFICENT FORCE, tried to make a race of it in the stretch run but was safely held by the local filly.

Roman remains 12 behind Foster in their battle atop the riders’ standings, painfully denied a second winner in the closing event astride 5-2 chance MILLINIUM STAR, beaten by a nose at the wire by champion jockey Lewis aboard 44-1 stunner ANOTHER WAVE.