by Jimmie, Star Racing Writer

THE BOMBER ... will be ridden by Shane Ellis on Monday. - file

THE BOMBER should blow past MR SKILL in Monday's 10th race for the 1100-metre Easter Sprint Cup, an event included on both Super-6 and Pick-9 bets, which will have minimum payouts of a combined $1.5m, starting as early as the third event.

Barring any big carryover from Saturday's meet, Monday's Pick-9 covers races three to 11 for its guaranteed jackpot of $1m and the $500,000 Super-6 opens at the fifth race.

Shane Ellis, the jockey to watch this weekend in the absence of leading rider Omar Walker, has the leg up aboard THE BOMBER, who last raced in the CTL Gold Cup on December 8, caught close to home by Horse of the Year DISTINCTLY IRISH.

That afternoon, THE BOMBER had the best horses in the land off their feet until DISTINCTLY IRISH motored up the lane to nail him stealing home.

Among the cast was MUSICAL MAESTRO, who was subsequently voted champion sprinter, as well as Superstakes winner MAJOR MAYER.

Although well decorated, having won four races last year including the Jamaica Derby, an Open Allowance, which he subsequently lost in the stewards' room, followed by top-class performances in Grade One races such as the Governor General's Stakes, Superstakes and Gold Cup, THE BOMBER has got an utterly ridiculous pass to face Overnight Allowance horses.

However, this should be to the benefit of punters hunting a Super-6 or Pick-9 banker in a race, which would appear difficult on paper due to the presence of MR SKILL, a speedy three-year-old.

A winner of four races from eight starts, MR SKILL competes outside his age group for the first time on Monday, not having raced since finishing second in the 1400-metre Sweet Ruckus Trophy on December 29.

MR SKILL duelled the American SMOOTHABILITY for the first three furlongs before sprinting clear but shut down close home and was gobbled up by LIKKLE BIT.

With SMOOTHABILITY returning at 49.5 kilos on Monday, MR SKILL will not get a breather whereas THE BOMBER should be sitting in the catbird seat, waiting to pounce in the stretch run.

THE BOMBER has tremendous mid-race pace, having already run 1:12.3 for six furlongs, and should be fresher than a used-up MR SKILL when both clash in the stretch run at level weight of 53.0 kilos.

Super-6 and pick-9 players should keep tabs on Ellis as the title-chasing rider could win as many as four races on Monday, starting with Richard Azan's three-year-old maiden, GAMBOA, in the second race.

Beaten into third place on debut as a two-year-old last November behind LEONIDAS and MACHISMO, GAMBOA has been training nicely, 59.3 from the gate last Monday, and should beat three-year-old maidens at 1500 metres.

Ellis also looks good aboard the Anthony Nunes pair of MELINDAGATA in the ninth and SMILE OUT in the 11th.

MELINDAGATA failed to fire for Nunes on February 6 after being claimed for $380,000 the previous month. However, the five-year-old mare has been reprogrammed and should go all the way at 1000 metres straight.

SMILE OUT, who was recently scratched after inadvertently being administered lasix, continues to work well at exercise and should lead home non-winners-of-two fillies and mares at 1100 metres.