Precarious tag-team plans for Distinctly Irish Trophy

HAVING TO chase collateral damage – MAMMA MIA carrying 102lb and churning splits of 24.0, 34.3, 46.0, 58.2 and 1:11.3 – ATOMICA floundered under topweight 126lb in last month’s She’s A Maneater at a mile – giving way to FUNCAANDUN, who grabbed the lead a furlong out with 101lb to score a six-length romp.

Returning for Saturday’s Distinctly Irish Trophy with her burden still intact, ATOMICA’s reprieve might be a slowed pace at nine furlongs and 25 yards plus FUNCAANDUN being bumped up by 17lb.

However, with no need to be regulated in true splits, considering stablemate FUNCAANDUN will again be lurking from off the pace, MAMMA MIA has nothing to lose on the lead, getting 17lb from ATOMICA, who will have no choice but to chase the improved filly.

Had ATOMICA sat off the pace in the She’s A Maneater, it would have been a repeat of the July 7 Clovis Metcalfe when MAMMA MIA, running at odds of 11-1, stunned FUNCAANDUN with a gate-to-wire win at seven and a half furlongs.

With FUNCAANDUN content to lay in wait, Omar Walker had no choice but to have ATOMICA press MAMMA MIA, a suicidal mission with topweight 126lb, allowing the stablemates a combined 49lb in what turned out to be a mile relay.

There isn’t much difference in the Distinctly Irish. MAMMA MIA, last year’s 1000 Guineas and Jamaica Oaks winner, similar to any classy filly, will make rivals pay dearly if handed a featherweight at any distance.

It was MAMMA MIA, toting 110lb, who carried last year’s Mouttet Mile for the first six furlongs in splits of 45.0, 57.2 and 1:10.0, fractions which caused ATOMICA to throw a tantrum, decking Dane Dawkins three furlongs out.

Having blazed six furlongs in 1:14.2 last Saturday morning, a day before ATOMICA did her usual saunter in 1:16.0, the writing is on the wall as far as DaCosta’s tactics are concerned. Summoning a claiming rider, Shavon Townsend, to partner MAMMA MIA, suggests catch-me-if-you-can with Tevin Foster waiting in the wings to pounce with FUNCAANDUN.

FUNCAANDUN losing his only race at nine furlongs and 25 yards to RHYTHM BUZZ might be made irrelevant if all Foster has to do is sit off the pace and allow lightweight MAMMA MIA to soften topweight ATOMICA.

However, should Townsend become ambitious and try toying with ATOMICA on the lead, DaCosta’s tag team could be ripped to shreds.