THE BOMBER has shone at trackwork leading up to tomorrow's St. Leger. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

DERBY winner THE BOMBER has impressed most at exercise in recent weeks, leading up to tomorrow's 10-furlong Jamaica St. Leger.

Patrick Lynch's bay colt, who streaked away from rivals down the backstretch on his third outing to win the Jamaica Derby on June 2, zipped 1:00.1 for five furlongs round at exercise on Wednesday morning.

It was the fastest he had ever gone at exercise, smashing the 1:02.3 he galloped going into the Derby.

THE BOMBER's bullet workout overshadows the preparation of his five rivals, of whom RUM TALK has looked most responsive.

Philip Feanny's RUM TALK, who came home late in the Derby to snatch second from MUCHO GUSTO after THE BOMBER had flown the coop, got his first serious workout after the Derby when he clocked 1:01.4 on June 15.

Cantering nine furlongs round in subsequent mornings, June 17 and 19, Feanny stepped up his charge to a seven-furlong pace work on June 20, which he completed in 1:36.4, in the company of BLUE MAGIC.

The maestro Feanny afterwards brought RUM TALK to the boil with a pair of one-week seven-furlong gallops, 1:29.0 two Sundays ago and 1:28.3 last Sunday morning.

However, THE BOMBER's build-up to the St. Leger has been far more impressive and calculated than his Derby preparation when he had histwo career starts less than a month before the big day.

Lynch didn't ask THE BOMBER to do much until two weeks after his big Derby win, watching him pace seven furlongs in 1:40.2 on June 16.

Put to the mill

However, he was put to the mill by Lynch from June 22 and responded brilliantly, progressing from an easy three furlongs in 41.0 to a half-mile in 51.3 the following day.

An easy seven-furlong gallop of 1:34.1, on June 27, was followed by a six-furlong pace workout, completed in 1:27.2 the following day.

Then came Wednesday morning's bullet work, which must have sent chills through the spines of rival barns.

Anthony Nunes' pair of MUCHO GUSTO and IL CAIMANO have not done anything at exercise worth calling home about.

IL CAIMANO, a high-strung character, who landed the May 12 Lotto Classic for the Governor's Cup, has been cantering steadily most mornings whereas MUCHO GUSTO galloped five and a half-furlong in 1:08.0 last Sunday morning, beating stablemate MASANIELLO.