By Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
The 6-5 favourite CHATTANOOGA STAR (Trevor Simpson, left) outbattles 5-1 choice RUNNING SCARE (Richard Mitchell) to win eighth race over 1600 metres at Caymanas Park on Wednesday. - Dennis Coke
A MILLION dollars will be at stake in tomorow's Racing Pools game, thanks to a whopping carryover of $706,364.20 from last week.
The Lotto Combo Day programme, featuring the $1.25 million Lotto Gold Cup over 1400 metres for top class horses, kicks off with a 1200-metre race in which recent winners SONG SO SWEET and XTRA SPECIAL, CLEVER STAR, AWESOME GAIN and SANDBAGGER are leading lights in the field of 10.
If tardy starter SANDBAGGER can be coaxed to leave the gates promptly, then the stretch running five-year-old mare could get there in the nick of time. SONG SO SWEET, though, has more appeal following his fast time runaway victory over the distance on November 24 when leading home the subsequent winner XTRA SPECIAL by all of eight lengths.
SONG SO SWEET is only 1.0kg heavier, but with CLEVER STAR winning his 1200-metre race on October 6 in a faster time (1:14.4), the five-year-old grey gelding looks the one most likely to succeed, especially now that he has lowered his sights.
AWESOME GAIN, the mount of title chasing Ramon Parish, has also beaten better in the not too distant past and having run better (prominent) than her final placing (seventh) indicated behind STAR PROSPECT over 1500 metres on November 18, seems poised for a capital effort.
Next on the programme is Division II of the $100,000 claiming race over 1200 metres and here SILVER FOX, who just failed to stave off NYAMINYAMI over the straight five course on November 17, looks best equipped to pull it off, despite the presence of recent winner STELLA GREY, STANDING ALONE, POLISH NURSE and SWEET MAGNOLIA. POLISH NURSE, who finished five lengths to SIR KRISHNA BABA from a bad draw in a fast-run straight five race last Saturday, looks the principal danger.
BINGO PRINCESS, who figured prominently to the last furlong behind GENERAL VERRAZANO in the Solomon Ziadie Memorial Cup over 1500 metres Saturday, looks the one to beat when she steps down for the third race over a simlar trip. She definitely has the beating of her nine opponents on past performances and should lead home RAJMIR and BUTCHER MAN.
The fourth race for maiden two-year-olds should resolve itself into a straight fight between SATISFIER and ROYAL EXPEDITION. While Philip Feanny's SATISFIER ran well on his debut (second) over the course behind fast time winner COURT CASE on November 28, preference is for ROYAL EXPEDITION, who is out for the first time since May 5. Despite the lengthy absence, the son of Royal Minister has been burning up the track at exercise in recent weeks and will prove hard to deny.
SELENA MYSTIQUE, a disqualifed winner when beating a good field of overnight allowance horses over 1100 metres on December 1, seems poised to atone against several of her old rivals in the fifth race, the Loto Combo 7 Sprint Trophy, over 1200 metres. THE BARBARIAN and STRAIGHT SIX, both of whom were behind her last time out, along with improving JADE RUNNER, should ensure that the stretch running SELENA MYSTIQUE is extended.
The last three races should be won by SEEMELATER (will love the distance), MILLIMETRE (ready for this) in the 7th the $1.25 million Lotto Gold Cup, and ROYAL FLIGHT (definitely the pick at the weights) in the last race. Their respective dangers are THE WHITE WITCH, COOL WATER in the Gold Cup and GANADOR.
SELECTIONS
(1) CLEVER STAR/SONG SO SWEET/
AWESOME POWER
(2) SILVER FOX/POLISH NURSE/STANDING ALONE
(3) BINGO PRINCESS/RAJMIR/BUTCHER MAN
(4) ROYAL EXPEDITION/SATISFIER
(5) SELENA MYSTIQUE/THE BARBARIAN/
STRAIGHT SIX
(6) SEEMELATER/THE WHITE WITCH/BULLETWOOD
(7) MILLIMETRE/COOL WATER/I'MSATISFIED
(8) ROYAL FLIGHT/GANADOR/CHAPSIE
