God of Love, Laban go head to head again

GOD OF LOVE not only has a 12-lb weight swing on recent conqueror LABAN but also returns to his pet trip at five furlongs round, having scored two of his last three wins at the distance, giving him every chance of turning the tables in Saturday’s open-allowance sprint.

LABAN took advantage of topweight GOD OF LOVE’s Achilles’ heel, the straight course, to pounce a furlong out on February 18, running by the speedster and in-form LURE OF LUCY, both of whom were locked in a death duel from the off.

LURE OF LUCY, enjoying the form of her life and fresh off a game run at a mile, overhauled by I’VE GOT MAGIC, stayed on for second behind LABAN while GOD OF LOVE wilted, relegated to fourth by fast-finishing DUKE along the stands’ side.

Though returning with 126lb, GOD OF LOVE’s record at five furlongs round with the big weight, especially paired with Robert Halledeen, makes him tough to beat with no matching speed on the lead. LABAN has felt the heat of GOD OF LOVE’s prowess at five furlongs round, convincingly beaten by the seven-year-old gelding on May 21 and November 5 last season.

EMPEROROFTHECATS comes closest to being a bother on the lead, carrying 110lb due to claiming rider Ramon Nepare’s bug. EMPEROROFTHECATS won handily with claiming rider Shavon Townsend when last out, destroying NUCLEAR NOON at six and a half furlongs.

However, EMPEROROFTHECATS is known to blink first whenever eyeballed by matching speed. Last September, he got into it with CAPTUREMYSHIP and weakened a furlong out with 112lb, setting up a collapsing pace for EL PROFESSOR to pounce with topweight 126lb.

YELLOWSTONE hunts a fourth straight win but meets his Waterloo, a 15-lb swing in favour of EMPEROROFTHECATS from their January 29 meeting, plus sitting only nine pounds off GOD OF LOVE, who will be blitzing the pace from the off.