Calculus positions for top prize in Sir Howard Stakes

CACLULUS has worked like a winner for Sunday's Sir Howard Stakes, putting in a strong shift upside celebrated grade-one stablemate, TOONA CILIATA, on Monday.

Though unraced since finishing fifth when fancied at 9-2 in the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes on December 27, CALCULUS has really worked well for his return and looks set to stake claim as a classic hopeful, having seemingly got over issues which affected him heading into his last outing.

An impressive three-length winner on debut last November, CALCULUS was back at the races three weeks later, outsped to third behind stablemates HOIST THE MAST and GO DEH GIRL in the six-furlong Dye Job Sprint.

A second-time starter, taking on speedy HOIST THE MAST and non-winner-of-three importee, GO DEH GIRL, CALCULUS was far from disgraced, finishing on the tail of the runner-up. However, his preparation for the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes was spotty, a six-furlong, mile-chute gallop in 1:16.0 pale in comparison to his glowing workouts earlier that month.

CALCULUS didn't appear keen down the backstretch in the Two-Year-Old Stakes, tenderly handled by Omar Walker, almost tall in the saddle, entering the straight third from last, but somehow managed to close for fifth when asked for an effort inside the last furlong and a quarter.

However, Monday's exercise spin with TOONA CILIATA was certainly an eye-catcher. TOONA CILIATA's 1:07.2 was a bullet time, the fastest at five and a half furlongs for the morning, ahead of CALCULUS by approximately two lengths for the duration of the workout.

Whereas all but his stablemate, SANTORINI, have had outings this season, CALCULUS lay-up shouldn't affect him adversely in the six-furlong sprint, considering his shape at exercise and the absence of any frightening speed to contend with.

BILLY WHIZZ, runner-up to imported stablemate LURE OF LUCY last time out, albeit some 10 lengths in arrears, appears to be best at middle distances, as opposed to REGNANT, who showed every ounce of his sire Midnight hawk's speed when getting off the mark at five furlongs straight on Ash Wednesday.

REGNANT kept company with HOIST THE MAST last Saturday, 1:02.3 for five furlongs round, not a bad workout at all, but not comparable to CALCULUS' spin with TOONA CILIATA.