Improving Sensational Move, Laban look good for memorial

SENSATIONAL MOVE and LABAN both ran cracking races against improving foreigners recently, form which the local-breds should frank in Saturday’s divided Arthur Jones Memorial at six furlongs.

Division one could prove just how improved SENSATIONAL MOVE has been since the back end of last season when he clocked an eye-popping 1:11.3 for six furlongs to beat non-winners of four races by seven and a half lengths on December 23.

Outclassed by NEO STAR at nine furlongs and 25 yards on New Year’s Day, SENSATIONAL MOVE again caused jaws to drop by posting 1:05.4 at five and a half furlongs on January 28, followed by a stunning 8-1 upset win over EMPEROROFTHECATS at five furlongs straight mid-February, an open-allowance event in which his stablemate and hot favourite, DESERT OF MALIBU, finished fourth.

After disputing the lead with I AM FRED in the grade-one Thoroughbred Hall of Fame Stakes on last, before being overpowered by IS THAT A FACT, SENSATIONAL MOVE appears to have the pace at her mercy, racing all of two classes lower among overnight-allowance runners.

Meanwhile, LABAN, who threw a scare at 16-1, last Tuesday’s Derby Day, pointing on MAJOR DANGER a furlong out, forcing Raddesh Roman to conjure a rally along the rail with the United States-bred four-year-old, should land division two.

At seven years old, LABAN has been a loyal soldier for Richard Azan, a dangerous stalker, who sprints as well as he enjoys middle-distance races. Reporting off a fourth-place finish behind speedy BOOTYLICIOUS at five furlongs round on July 14, LABAN sat off quick splits being contested by two foreigners, MAJOR DANGER and ATLANTIC CONVOY, before splitting rivals coming off the turn.

Though ATLANTIC CONVOY drifted right and threw in the towel after hot splits of 23.1, 46.0 and 1:10.1, LABAN pulled alongside MAJOR DANGER a furlong out, eyeballing the American, who responded well to quicken in an all-out drive under Roman, clocking 1:32.1 for seven and a half furlongs.

Returning in division two with Shavon Townsend retained to take the weight down to 121lb, LABAN should be comfortable at six furlongs with no frightening speed to run him off his legs.

An ambitious MRS LYNDHURST could lead to the downfall of other speedsters such as stablemates SUGAR DADDY and off-colour FREEDOM STREET, who is rather heavy at 122 for a horse who finished far down the track in two of his last four races.

American GRECIAN LIGHT won easily out the straight on Emancipation Day, cutting down EL RAPIDO in 59.0. However, local-bred MATUSO getting within a length of the foreigner suggests EL RAPIDO had stopped abruptly, allowing the closers to appear overly smart.

GRECIAN LIGHT’s tendency to give away lengths at the start won’t help her cause against LABAN, who will be attacking the leaders early off the turn.