Eroy ready to settle the score

EROY has a score to settle with fellow American-bred SIR ALTON, who returned to form two Sundays ago, striking at odds of 5-1 on a fast track to clock 1:04.4 for five and a half furlongs in the War Zone Sprint.

The foreigners met as two-year-olds last December at five furlongs straight, EROY a disqualified winner on his November 8 debut, at six and a half furlongs, whereas SIR ALTON was making his first outing and scrambled home from CRAFTY AND READY as the 1-5 favourite. EROY was outsped and finished fourth in the eight-horse field, seven lengths behind SIR ALTON.

EROY and SIR ALTON afterwards faced tough opposition earlier this year, MAHOGANY and RACE CAR, before recently running their best races as three-year-olds, putting them on a collision course in Sunday's Ronron Trophy at six furlongs.

EROY was first to announce himself, wiring TOMOHAWK, at nine furlongs and 25 yards, just before the COVID-19 break. He returned four months later, July 5, and paid the price of being slowly into stride against top local three-year-olds, NIPSTER and DOUBLE CROWN, at a mile. However, he wasn't disgraced and turned the tables on them both in a sharp performance at seven and a half furlongs on August 15.

Taken to task at exercise, an alert EROY returned a transformed horse and stunned NIPSTER by tugging to the lead leaving the half-mile. NIPSTER tried his best but found the foreigner too tough up the lane, losing by a neck in a driving finish.

At six furlongs, the Ronron trophy is a neutral battleground for SIR ALTON and EROY to renew rivalry. EROY is clearly no outright sprinter whereas SIR ALTON, though quick, could be susceptible to EROY's new-found form, which saw him pop 1:05.4 in a five and a half furlong spin at exercise on Monday.

SIR ALTON might have won the War Zone in a stakes record 1:04.4, but the track was lightning fast and he had a rabbit, speedy local filly SHE'S A HIT, to run the first five furlongs in 57.2 before giving up the ghost a half-furlong out.

SHE'S A HIT's form has been sketchy since June 27 when, returning off a near five-month COVID-19 lay-up, blazed splits of 22.3, 34.1, heading into 45.4, alongside ENGLAND'S ROSE, when both were outclassed by MAHOGANY. She has not been herself since and had no response when SIR ALTON rallied against the rail in the War Zone.

EROY's form was franked last Sunday by NIPSTER, who returned to score a battling victory against an improved KING ARTHUR in the Royal Dad Trophy at nine furlongs and 25 yards. Having worked like a monster since, EROY shouldn't have any problems with the distance, and coming out of a tougher race, should win overcome SIR ALTON in a stretch battle.