View From The Booth by @WoodbineGeller

It took the length of the stretch and then some for fresh hot favorite Circle of Friends to down first-time starter City Boy. The best of the four newcomers in the final race, City Boy made all the running. When Circle of Friends loomed up, he looked likely to go right on by and draw off but to his credit, the son of City Zip fought back strongly, missing out grudgingly in a head-bob at the end of the five furlongs. The top pair came well clear of the opposition and given that the winner appears more than useful, I have no hesitation in putting City Boy straight onto my watch-list after such a gritty effort.

The proof is already in the pudding with Sunny’s Rainbow, an owner’s dream, having hit the board in each of his eight starts, the most recent, a gallant second off the bench to Hip Smitt who prevailed by a stubborn head at the five and one half furlongs. The Michael de Paulo trainee looks set for a solid 4YO campaign given how close he came to breaking through the NW-3 condition. The same weekend, Phil in the Blank, to whom Sunny’s Rainbow had finished third on two previous occasions, continued to advance his cause by adding another win the day prior. As honest as the day is long, Sunny’s Rainbow looks ready to shine even brighter next time out.