Yellowstone to land HoSang feature

A CRACKER is expected in Sunday’s George HoSang feature at six furlongs, an overnight allowance with a true pace from start to finish.

The inside post should see a mad dash to the half-mile marker, with EMPEROROFTHECATS breaking from the one hole with SUPER DUPER and NUCLEAR NOON for company. RAS EMANUEL should also have a say in the early fractions whereas in-form YELLOWSTONE should be circling rivals, drawn widest at pole 12.

EAGLE ONE returns to the level at which he is most effective and would have been a real closing threat with the possibility of a collapsing pace. However, the United States-bred six-year-old reports with topweight 126lb, seemingly not in the best of shape, galloping 1:17.3 for six furlongs last Sunday morning.

NUCLEAR NOON would have qualified as a lethal stalker as well, having placed third behind DUKE and SECRET IDENTITY in open-allowance company last April. However, this being his third run off an eight-month lay-up since, doesn’t augur well for his chances of chasing down an in-form bunch led by speedy SUPER DUPER, proven EMPEROROFTHECATS and improved YELLOWSTONE.

Ignore EMPEROROFTHECATS’ effort with Shane Ellis aboard at six and a half furlongs last time out, finishing 16 lengths next-to-last behind PERFECT BREW, BIG BIG DADDY and RING CHARMER.

After getting a bump or two shortly after the off and pinched out, EMPEROROFTHECATS actually improved into fourth on the home turn out, but was gingerly handled in the stretch run, eased a furlong and quarter out.

EMPEROROFTHECATS returned last Saturday morning to blast five and a half furlongs in 1:08.1, the last five in 1:01.2, signalling he is ready for battle with Paul Francis replacing Ellis. However, 123lb puts EMPEROROFTHECATS at the top of the scale, breaking from the one hole, surrounded by speed, whereas YELLOWSTONE should have the lay of the land from his outside draw, carrying 117lb.

YELLOWSTONE has transformed into a mean stalker since fitted with a visor for his last two races. After landing the gamble at odds of 6-5, beating LUKSOL by a nose on October 30, the four-year-old returned off the lay-up to surprise imported CHAMPION BUBBLER two Sundays ago at five and a half furlongs.

Staying on strongly after brushing aside the leaders, YELLOWSTONE repelled hat-trick seeker CHAMPION BUBBLER, winning by a smart length-and-quarter. Anthony Thomas has the leg up, replacing Tevin Foster, who has remained at home to partner NUCLEAR NOON.

Thomas is a patient chap, sometimes too patient. However, his patience and an outside draw could be exactly what the doctor ordered for a YELLOWSTONE hat-trick.