Do not oppose Fearless Samurai

With eight favourites having obliged last Saturday, both the Pick-9 and Super-6s were caught by scores of punters and all start anew with guaranteed minimums of $1 million and $750,000, respectively.

The Pick 9 will embrace races three to 11, the first Super-6 from race one to six, the late Super-6 from six to 11.

We look at the first Super-6, which commences with a three-year-old and up restricted stakes to be contested by seven starters, including hat-trick seeker FEARLESS SAMURAI and recent winner BIRD CATCHER. With 16-time champion trainer Wayne DaCosta ensuring that the race will go through by saddling all of four starters, it will take a brave punter to oppose his impressive 3-y-o colt, FEARLESS SAMURAI, with champion jockey Omar Walker again in the saddle.

A winner of his last two races, FEARLESS SAMURAI looked a live classic contender on January 25 when strolling home by 81/2 lengths from LADY FAYE over 1500 metres. And before that, on October 17, he easily accounted for HENRY THE SECOND and subsequent champion, 2-y-o SOTOMAYOR, over 1400 metres, The son of Fearless Vision, Sayur, obviously has a touch of class and, having looked razor sharp at exercise, should lead home BIRD CATCHER, a narrow winner from over 1400 metres on February.4

Trainer Fitzroy Glispie, who conditions BIRD CATCHER, should have better luck with highly-fancied FRANCIA'S PRIDE in the second race over 1820 metres. The 4-y-o filly finished a length third to DANCING QUEEN and ANOTHER FURY over a mile on February 8, but the result would have been different had she not suffered interference from stable-companion, ANOTHER FURY, entering the straight.

RUNNING CONSISTENTLY

FRANCIA'S PRIDE will report in good nick, and despite the strong claims of the Anthony Nunes-trained COUNTER ATTACK, she should make amends in a field of seven.

TWO STEPS UP, who has been running consistently well, looks the one to beat in the third race 1100 metres for $250,000 - $210,000 claiming horses. She finished a close third to DIFERENTGENERATION and FIERY PATH over this trip in the Millard Ziadie Memorial Cup on February 8, and now dropped in class, should make no mistake in a field of nine.

SHE'S A LEGACY, the mount of three-time champion jockey Dane Nelson, should be good enough to win the fourth race over the straight for maiden three-year-olds, following her close second to BILINGUAL over 1100 metres last November. That represents better form than most and although she can expect stiff competition from lightly-raced ZI BEAST and first time runners PAINTTHISTOWNRED and RAGE OF ANGELS, SHE'S A LEGACY is given the edge in a field of 11.

The last two races in the first Super-6 should be won by JESSIE JAMES and BALLON D'OR, with top apprentices Bebeto Harvey and Linton Steadman aboard. Their respective dangers are recent winner NATASHADONTPLAY and Nelson's mount, LAZZA, a recent course winner.

FIRST SUPER-6 FANCIES

(1) FEARLESS SAMURAI

(2) FRANCIA'S PRIDE/

COUNTER ATTACK

(4) TWO STEPS UP/

ABOGADO

(5) SHE'S A LEGACY/

ZI BEAST

(5) JESSIE JAMES/

NATASHADONTPLAY

(6) BALLON D'OR/

LAZZA