Sport

Three times Todd

By JIMMIE, Star Racing Writer

ACE CLAIMING TRAINER Richie Todd should follow-up last Saturday's double with a three-timer on tomorrow's 10-race card. Todd, who ended last season with 78 winners, second to champion Wayne DaCosta's 97, should push his 2004 tally to six wins with INSTRUMENTHAL in the fifth, SADALMELIK in the sixth and EMPERADOR in the seventh.

INSTRUMENTHAL returns hunting back-to-back wins at his favourite distance, 1000 metres straight, after beating MEZZALUNA by a nose last month. Still at $140,000 claiming, INSTRUMENTHAL faces an easier bunch this time around, avoiding the likes of MEZZALUNA and BIG BELLY SAM, who are ironically drawn with down-in-class SADAL-MELIK in Division Two of the split event.

Speedy TREASURE CHEST, who had led INSTRUMENTHAL for the first three furlongs last time out, will try stealing a march again but returns at almost similar handicaps and will be hard-pressed to shake loose of Todd's runner with two-kilo claiming Phillip Clunis.

SADALMELIK has mysteriously tumbled from non-winners-of-three and top level claiming to $140,000 in the sixth and can only be opposed on the vet's order. Seeing that the four-year-old filly looked sound enough three Saturdays ago when racing third into the lane behind AERO COMMANDER and PRINCESS CHIONESO, she'll have to be taken on trust with veteran lightweight Robert Reid.

Todd's triple looks pretty safe with EMPERADOR and apprentice Dane Nelson in the seventh at 1820 metres. The six-year-old gelding ran a big third behind stablemate FRIENDLY EXPRESS at a mile last week on a $330,000 tag and should spreadeagle rivals a class lower as he did in his previous race when winning by seven.

Track Price Plus Pick-6 bettors shouldn't hesitate to bank on Anthony Nunes' TUSCAN SUN in the fourth at 1000 metres round. The three-year-old debutant might not be spectacularly-bred but 1:01.0 on the five-round course at exercise indicates the gelding is well forward and looks the horse to beat with Shane Ellis aboard.

Carryovers at $1.1m

Exotic bettors were burnt all-around Saturday, resulting in Hi-Five ($213,955.30), Super-Six ($455,243.85) and Pick-9 ($500,000) caryovers to tomorrow's programme. Go with BOUND FOR GLORY and THE ADMIRAL in what appears to be knotty races on paper.

BOUND FOR GLORY, edging back up in class in the third, should outfinish ROYAL DESIRE and THAT'S GOLD at 1200 metres. ROYAL DESIRE will try making all but will be weakening inside the final half-furlong when BOUND FOR GLORY should be motoring under Nelson. Finishing second behind DUBAI EXPRESS at 1100 metres two Saturdays ago, ROYAL DESIRE was being caught by DUE RESPECT, who she had circled three furlongs out.

Round off those bets with unbeaten THE ADMIRAL going for a fifth straight win in the ninth. KING AL has looked good at exercise reporting off a five-month lay-up but THE ADMIRAL, who posted 1:19.3 at 1300 metres on New Year's Day, is a mean galloper and will have to be caught at 1100 metres.