Further and Beyond tough to beat in Saturday’s feature

FURTHER AND BEYOND’s brave run in the Mouttet Mile, fourth behind FUNCAANDUN, LEGACY ISLE and COMMANDANT, confirmed Donovan Hutchinson’s turnaround of the 2021 Horse of the Year, trained by Anthony Nunes as Jamaica Cup and Ian Levy winner that season.

Lining up against overnight-allowance company in Saturday’s Will In Charge Trophy at a mile, carrying 115lb with claiming rider Tyrese Anderson, FURTHER AND BEYOND will be a tough horse to beat should he reproduce his Mouttet Mile form.

Since being nursed back to health by Hutchinson, six-year-old FURTHER AND BEYOND has scored dramatic victories. He featured in a thrilling dead-heat with Canada-bred ATLANTIC CONVOY, late February, followed by a tremendous late burst to overhaul MAHOGANY and MAMMA MIA at seven and a half furlongs in May.

Voted champion stayer, champion middle-distance performer and champion local-bred horse in 2021, beating CALCULUS, winner of the Jamaica Derby and St Leger that year, FURTHER AND BEYOND has quietly kept top-notch company following his May stunner against MAHOGANY.

FURTHER AND BEYOND finished two lengths behind third-place ATOMICA, going a mile, on his next outing in July, a grade-one event won by FUNCAANDUN carrying 101lb to dismantle stablemate MAMMA MIA, who played rabbit with a similar weight.

It was grade-one again for FURTHER AND BEYOND in August, third behind FUNCAANDUN and ATOMICA at nine furlongs and 25 yards, allowing the American five pounds. He had another run-in with FUNCAANDUN in October’s Gold Cup, finishing third behind the American and his stablemate, IS THAT A FACT.

Outsped by ATOMICA in November’s Jamaica Cup, FURTHER AND BEYOND made a mid-race bid but lacked the kick to go after the flying filly. However, he fisnihed fourth, three-quarter length behind third-place FUNCAANDUN, who turned around his form in the Mouttet Mile.

With FUNCAANDUN stamped all over his form, FURTHER AND BEYOND, at 115lb, among overnight allowance horses, is Santa sliding down Hutchinson’s chimney a few days before Christmas.