By Orville Clarke,Freelance WriterTODAY has been designated Jockey Club Day at Caymanas Park, the well supported 12-race programme featuring the $400,000 Jockey Club Stakes over 1400 metres for native bred three-year-olds.
All the other races on the card are named after Jockey Club members and offer plaques to the winning owners.
Meanwhile, eight starters have been declared for the Jockey Club Stakes including three from the in-form stables of trainer Wayne DaCosta. These are PRINCESS ALEXANDRA and the recent winners RED BOOTLACES and PREACH PREACHER.
These, along with the likely favourite RAKKADASH and FABRIKATOR, should ensure keen competition.
After failing to figure in the classics, RED BOOTLACES reported from a 3 1/2-month absence to finish a neck second to PAY PER VIEW over 1200 metres on August 4, only to be awarded the race in the Stewards' Room when it was discovered that she was impeded by PAY PER VIEW in the last 100 metres.
Now better for that pipeopener, RED BOOTLACES should enter the reckoning even though having a bit more to do in present company. While I expect her to figure prominently, I doubt whether she can put the brakes on her vastly improved stable-companion PREACH PREACHER under leading jockey Wesley Henry or for that matter RAKKADASH, who shoulders topweight of 57.0kg under leading all-time jockey Winston "Fanna" Griffiths.
PREACH PREACHER has come on tremendously since losing by a neck to HARLEY BARLEY over 1500 metres on July 13. In that race she beat the third horse LADY CHATURA by 1 1/4 lengths, but a week later she slammed LADY CHATURA by 17 lengths when scoring by the resounding margin of 15 lengths in a fast-run one mile race (1:38.0).
PREACH PREACHER followed up with a fighting win over the classic contender ECSTATIC again over a mile on August 6, a race which saw both fillies locked in a prolonged speed duel, behind splits of 46.3 and 1:12.3 for 1200 metres.
Although vastly improved, PREACH PREACHER is up against a very formidable opponent in RAKKADASH, who started the season as the second top rated three-year-old behind stable-companion MILLIMETRE.
The bay colt from the stables of champion trainer Philip Feanny underlined his well being on July 28 when chasing home RESTLESS WARRIOR in the valuable RJR Classic over 1500 metres on July 28, a race in which he led for well over 1200 metres before giving way to the winner.
Now back against lesser opposition, RAKKADASH should use his speed to best advantage and make all. I am expecting him to be chased by PREACH PREACHER into the straight and I am confidently expecting him to hold her challenge up the lane, despite giving her 3.0kg.
Other firm fancies on the card are SAID I SAID I (is no maiden) in the 2nd race for maiden three-year-olds, FRIENDLY EXPRESS (had no luck in running in RJR Classic) to win the third ahead of vastly improved HARLEY BARLEY and PHAREAL, AIN'T JOKING to catch her only serious opponent MINISTER ON WHEELS in the 4th, NYAMINYAMI (boasts superior speed) to stave off DIXIE INFERNO in the 7th, EXECUTIVE PROFILE (the class horse) to make all in the 9th over the straight five course and LADY PAKEEZAH to do likewise at the expense of BRAINSTORMING and OK DON in the closing race.