Redemption for Sotomayor tomorrow

ANTHONY Nunes' SOTOMAYOR needs to repay punters in division one of Sunday's overnight allowance at seven furlongs after his mind-boggling defeat as even-money favourite last month. Meanwhile, Gary Subratie's United States importee, HILLY'S HALO, should easily make it four-in-a-row in division two, running with 110lb - the lightest she has ever been.

It was not simply that SOTOMAYOR lost as the favourite on July 14 at what was expected to be an ideal trip, nine furlongs and 25 yards, carrying a featherweight 110lb with leading rider, apprentice Anthony Thomas - it was how he lost that left punters befuddled, never in the hunt, finishing almost a distant fifth.

For want of fitness it could not have been because the grey gelding was coming off a strong victory at nine furlongs a month earlier and had posted two bullet works, 1:00.3 for five furlongs round and 1:14.0 for six, in as many days later, less than a week before the race.

After all that, SOTOMAYOR ran a stinker against one of the poorest fields he had ever faced, completing the distance almost five seconds slower than his third-place run behind UNCLE FRANK in May.

At times, horses put in performances that simply have to be written off, thrown out the window, it never happened. Ironically, that was the second nine furlongs and 25-yard race in which SOTOMAYOR had 'underperformed' with Thomas aboard.

On March 31, 1-5 favourite SOTOMAYOR took forever to come forward with Thomas and lost by a short head to UNCLE VINNIE, a performance which was corrected by Panamanian Dick Cardenas at a mile, followed by an equally good run, also at a mile, though going down by three-quarter length to RADICAL.

It's hardly likely that SOTOMAYOR somehow knows every time Thomas is aboard, turning the spotlight on what could be his preference for races coming out of the mile chute where he had pulled off his famous Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes victory over SHE'S A MANEATER.

Whereas the distance theory is seemingly the most rational, it should be noted that Nunes actions have suggested otherwise, summoning Cardenas, overlooking leading rider Thomas and his much-sought-after apprentice claim.

So, with the Thomas 'jinx' out of the way and coming out of his preferred mile chute, SOTOMAYOR, working extremely well in the mornings, should return all monies owed.