MIGHTY GULLY returns with the scale and five furlongs straight as bonuses, sweetened by Tajay Suckoo’s four-pound claim, making her seasonal debut in Saturday’s Reggae Month Trophy after a brave run in December’s Bruceontheloose at six and a half furlongs.
Set to carry 107lb with the lightweight claiming rider, MIGHTY GULLY should be in peak condition, given a deserved break by Robert Pearson after running a cracker, having skipped open allowance to take a shot at grade-one runners in the Bruceontheloose won by Florida invader OF A REVOLUTION.
Though no match for OF A REVOLUTION two months ago when the foreigner swatted DESERT OF MALIBU off the lead to land the Bruceontheloose, MIGHTY GULLY, who had turned for home third, could benefit from the American’s loss of form in two races since humbling the local stock on debut.
MIGHTY GULLY held third in the Bruceontheloose, behind OF A REVOLUTION and DESERT OF MALIBU, until MONEY MARKET and a rallying CALIFORNIA CROWN relegated her a half-furlong out.
Running with 118lb in the Bruceontheloose, MIGHTY GULLY was punching two classes higher at level weight with MONEY MARKET, only two pounds lighter than proven grade-one campaigner, DESERT OF MALIBU.
Returning lightest in the seven-horse dash at five furlongs straight, getting 19lb from off-colour OF A REVOLUTION, who has failed to replicate the speed he had shown in the Bruceontheloose, MIGHTY GULLY has nothing to lose on the lead, having clocked 58.3 at the trip with 114lb last November.
MONEY MARKET, who produced a late kick to edge out stablemate DESERT OF MALIBU for second in the Bruceontheloose, is drawn widest at post-position seven, as sharp as a razor following an impressive victory at six and a half furlongs on Boxing Day.
Though he had to come from behind the leaders to snatch second in the Bruceontheloose, MONEY MARKET could have been deliberately held off the pace while stablemate DESERT OF MALIBU gunned the headline with OF A REVOLUTION and CALIFORNIA CROWN.
However, MIGHTY GULLY, a daughter of Into Mischief’s Buzz Nightmare, appears to have mellowed at the back end of her three-year-old season last year, matching CALIFORNIA CROWN stride for stride to swing into the lane third behind OF A REVOLUTION and DESERT OF MALIBU.
MONEY MARKET and Saturday’s course winner, MACK AND ROME, are more favourably drawn, but are allowing MIGHTY GULLY 11lb and nine pounds, respectively, weight which will be crucial inside the last half-furlong should Suckoo go for broke on the lead.
