Fearless Force tough to beat

FEARLESS FORCE’S demolition of return winner, fellow American SHEER DELIGHT, makes Philip Feanny’s four-year-old foreigner a tough horse to beat with 108lb in Friday’s Labour Day Trophy at seven furlongs.

Richie Shakes’ bug takes FEARLESS FORCE’s weight down from 115lb to 108lb, a major advantage against main rivals BLUE VINYL and INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD, local classic winners of differing years with one thing in common: topweight 126lb.

An impressive winner at the exact trip on April 12, carrying 106lb with claiming rider Tajay Suckoo, FEARLESS FORCE literally made all on a wet track, springing away from SHEER DELIGHT in splits of 35.1, 47.1, ripping into 59.4 and 1:12.0, stopping the clock at 1:25.1.

SHEER DELIGHT returned to frank the form two weeks later, winning at a mile in 1:39.3 ahead of down-in-class RHYTHM BUZZ and FEARLESS SOUL.

Though tackling overnight-allowance winners, FEARLESS FORCE’s featherweight should allow the American to dictate the pace, fearing possibly only SISTREN TREASURE, who comes in at 114lb after chasing home DIVINE FORCE and GIRVANO with figure-eight removed at nine furlongs on May 10.

SISTREN TREASURE might be a tempting prospect at the weight but prefers upwards of seven furlongs to be most effective, leaving FEARLESS FORCE as the horse to beat at the handicaps.

Last year’s St Leger winner, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD, flew at exercise last Saturday morning, beating American stablemate CHOCOMO in a five and a half furlong spin, clocking 1:06.4, suggesting that a turnaround in form could be imminent. However, the track appeared suspiciously fast, possibly overnight rain, leaving a question sign over that morning’s workouts.