Sweet Angeline looks in fine shape

It's often that we see horses from trainer Ricardo Le Grange's yard shine at the trials.

So it was, on a morning when 11 trials were run on Tuesday, it was no surprise to see Le Grange's runners take four of them in quick succession.

Pennywise set the tone, taking Trial 4. Then came Churchill's turn. He took the fifth.

Sweet Angeline followed up in the sixth and Le Grange's "quartet" was complete when Leatherhead romped home an easy winner in Trial 7.

Le Grange has entered nine runners for Sunday's 14-race meeting and, with the exception of Leatherhead, the other three will all see action.

Going on what we saw at the trials, Sweet Angeline certainly caught the eye among the trio.

She was in her element over the Polytrack 1,000m.

Ridden by champion jockey Vlad Duric, the filly looked like the belle of the ball.

She was in complete control right from the get-go. She had the boys chasing her down.

She teased them all the way home - but never let them get close enough to be dangerous.

They tried, but Sweet Angeline was always too nippy. In the end, she took the trial by three parts of a length, leaving in her wake the likes of Ocean Crossing and Axel.

Sweet Angeline clocked 61.60sec for the trip.

Still a three-year-old, Sweet Angeline had the "honour" of winning the last race on the last day (April 3) before racing went into lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

That day, and like she did at the trials, she never let the boys get a sniff. Jumping cleanly, she led them on a merry chase.

And they never really threatened her. Like a good filly, she kept up a brisk gallop to win by almost 31/2 lengths.

Since then, Le Grange has sent her for two trials and she does look good to go.

She will be humming on Sunday and, on form, she appears to be one of the better bets on the card.

Pennywise cannot be faulted. He's a trier and, to date, he has put together eight wins and three placings from 29 starts.

A strapping four-year-old, Pennywise showed good action when winning his trial in 60.58sec.

He won it by a neck - but it was easier than the margin suggested.

Pennywise is as versatile as they come. Although his last win was in the Colonial Chief Stakes which was run over the Poly 1,600m, the chestnut has, on more than one occasion, won over the 1,100m.

He goes over the sprint trip on Sunday and he should have a busload of admirers.

Duric, who rode Pennywise to victory, was also astride Churchill, the winner of Trial 5.

The four-year-old by Smart Missile took the lead when they straightened for home and he was never challenged. He went to the line at a steady clip, winning by half a length.

Churchill is still a rough diamond. Le Grange polished him to win a 1,400m race in late February. Since then, the trainer has added on more shine.

He faces a Class 3 field over the 1,200m on Sunday. Don't leave him out of your calculations.