Celebrate Easter Monday with Mahogany

OUTBATTLED by fit NEO STAR with a 15lb handicap against him at seven and a half furlongs, 2022 Gold Cup winner MAHOGANY returns among overnight-allowance runners in Monday’s Easter Sprint Cup, the eight-year-old’s connections hoping his ageing legs will be better suited to the reduced trip of five and a half furlongs.

Trainer Ian Parsard has also called in a claiming rider, Tajay Suckoo, easing MAHOGANY’s burden to 119lb, a weight which should land the Sensational Slam-Mete-orite gelding his 19th win from 37 career starts, keeping his strike rate above 50 per cent.

Returning off a near seven-month lay-up on March 23, MAHOGANY ran smack into former stablemate NEO STAR, who, since sold at last November’s Mixed Sale, had been chasing out-of-class runners such as COMMANDANT, MAMMA MIA and GEOLITHIC.

Anthony Nunes also wisely called in claiming rider Richie Shakes to partner NEO STAR, ditching heavyweight Shane Ellis, a move which paid off, allowing the six-year-old to have a go at topweight MAHOGANY from three furlongs out with enough left in the tank to quicken in the stretch run.

MAHOGANY tried his best to slip NEO STAR, ripping splits of 34.1, 46.3 and 59.1 into the lane. However, six-furlong fractions of 1:12.1 with topweight 126lb took toll a furlong and a half out, MAHOGANY’s strides shortening inside the final furlong, NEO STAR repelling his rail rally to win by two and a half lengths.

A crack middle-distance runner when at his best, MAHOGANY’s speed makes him extremely versatile, winning from five furlongs round to eight and a half out of his backyard, the tough backstretch chute, the course where he was denied consecutive Gold Cup wins by SHE’S MY DESTINY in 2023, allowing the mare 17lb.

Drawn at post-position three, MAHOGANY, renowned for being a rail-hugger, should scrape paint from the word go, none of his 11 rivals able to dislodge him from the aluminium.

MONEY MARKET reporting at 126lb with lightweight Paul Francis doesn’t appear to be the wisest of decisions on Gary Subratie’s part nor Jason DaCosta’s choice of Robert Halledeen aboard CHOCOMO, possibly carrying in excess of his declared 120lb.

Parsard appears to have won the race on paper with a shrewd choice of rider, the rest is up to MAHOGANY.