THIS COULD BE ONE FOR THE NOTEBOOK

By Graham Potter | Saturday, April 16, 2022

In his two previous rides for trainer Chris Munce since turning to riding following a short break, Mark Du Plessis had claimed a second and a third place, both on the five-year-old mare Valley Of Dreams.

This time, when the two-year-old, Spirit Of Boom colt Allude stepped back into race action in a QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap over 1000m at Eagle Farm on April 16, the Munce / Du Plessis team would take no prisoners.

Allude was first-up here, resuming for the first time in three months after being spelled following his two race first preparation which included a debut run in no lesser company than the Group 3 B J McLachlan Stakes … a race won by subsequent Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Coolangatta.

Allude finished 5.10 lengths back that day at a starting price of $101 before coming out and running third to another Magic Millions contender in Mishani Spartan at the Gold Coast on January 8 where he started at odds of $20.

There were no such favours on the betting boards this time around though with Allude being firmly entrenched as second favourite at $4.80 behind the $2.10 favourite Glamborgini.

Allude flew the gates and landed in an immediate lead, but Du Plessis was content to give up that position when Glamborgini raced up along his outside and crossed to take up the running by a two length margin.

Allude always appears to be full of running though and the colt moved up to threaten Glamborgini, seemingly with the minimum of fuss, on straightening, and he already had the measure of the favourite coming through the 200m mark.

One danger remained … and that was from the $14 chance Al Pal’s Gal, who was putting in a determined effort along the inside, but Allude duly dealt with the threat with some authority as well, pulling away in the end to score by a comfortable 1.50 length margin.

It was a very promising return to race action for the lightly raced two-year-old.

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