I Realise comes up with the goods

I REALISE shook off BRINKS three furlongs out, turned back MORIMOTO in the stretch run, leaving enough in the tank to survive 99-1 outsider RAINSVILLE’s late rail charge to land yesterday’s Bridge 99FM Cup by a neck.

Reporting off a five-month lay-up, the Northern Giant-Regina Royale four-year-old gelding reproduced his sparkling workouts to run rivals off their legs on the far side, eventually holding on for a gritty win at seven and a half furlongs with Tevin Foster.

Poised for a hat trick late April, I REALISE ran smack into last year’s St Leger winner, BLUE VINYL, losing third by a neck to PERFECT BREW after trying to match the classic winner on the lead at a mile.

Presented in peak condition off the break by trainer Alford Brown, I REALISE – highly thought of as a classic prospect last season – used pace to expose BRINKS’ dodgy form before thwarting MORIMOTO, who finished third in a bid to spring a 15-1 upset, his second run off a year’s lay-up.

Outsider RAINSVILLE’s charging run along the rail brought him within a neck of I REALISE but the post intervened on behalf of the 9-5 second favourite, who recorded his fifth win from 13 starts.

Brown returned to complete a two-timer in the nightpan, GRACEFULLY MADE making every post a winning one at odds of 4-1 with Raddesh Roman, who showed off his skills aboard another front-runner, leaving rivals for dead three furlongs out.

Meanwhile, United States-bred ATLANTIC CONVOY similarly reported off a break, four months, to outclass fellow American DIVINE FORCE, a mild 6-1 upset at six furlongs in the Ronron Trophy co-feature.

Surging through against the rail from post-position one after a furlong and a half, ATLANTIC CONVOY effortlessly led a convoy into the straight – BAZINGA, DIVINE FORCE, and MILOS – readily quickening away from the chasing pack when asked by Oshane Nugent.

DIVINE FORCE, the 3-5 favourite running off a five-month break, tried hard to mount a rail challenge midway the last half-furlong, forcing a stewards’ enquiry against ATLANTIC CONVOY for possible interference near the wire.

Despite DIVINE FORCE having to be taken in hand by Reyan Lewis close home, the stewards exonerated ATLANTIC CONVOY, who won by a length and a quarter from his rival, who was caught in a tight space along the rail.

Saturday-Sunday racing returns at the weekend with a Reggae 6 mandatory payout on the cards, starting at $3,064,404.

Yesterday’s Pick 5 mandatory payout returned $743,949, closing September’s ‘Mandatory Magic’ promotion.