By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterTHE J. W. "Judge" Hardie Memorial Cup (claiming $330,000 - $290,000) over 1600 metres is the principal feature at Caymanas Park today.
The 11-race programme, which commences at noon, marks the first leg of the two-day pre-Xmas racing carnival which continues tomorrow with the Rimsky Trophy over 1820 metres being the feature.
Also on today's programme are the inaugural running of the Richard Ashenheim Cup over 1500 metres for maiden and untried two-year-olds, and the $120,000 - $105,000 claiming race for the Eggie Sutherland Memorial Cup over 2000 metres.
Ten starters have been declared for the Hardie Memorial Cup, including the expected favourite PROCEEDACCORDINGLY to be ridden by outgoing champion jockey Charles Hussey for owner Laurence Heffes and trainer Patrick Fong.
On the strength of his fast-finishing second to PLEASANT WOOD over 1300 metres on December 11, PROCEEDACCORDINGLY should not only start favourite but go one step further and take home this trophy.
After several failed attempts in overnight allowance company in recent months, PROCEEDACCORDINGLY stepped down to high claiming and was beaten 1 1/2 lengths by the front running favourite PLEASANT WOOD, a race in which he had the grey LATIN PRINCESS some 4 1/2 lengths behind in third. PROCEEDACCORDINGLY closed all of 7 1/2 lengths on the winner in the straight, but came too late.
Now venturing over a mile, the six-year-old bay gelding by The Medic out of Proceed is sure to welcome the additional real estate. He should prove too strong for rivals in the drive for home, especially from his convenient mark of 54.0kg.
It should be recalled that prior to coming back to this level, PROCEEDACCORDINGLY beat a good field over 1300 metres on August 1, winning by all of seven lengths with Hussey astride. And later that month he finished two lengths second to RAKKADASH over 1300 metres in overnight allowance company.
RAPIDASH should pose the biggest danger over this trip, yet CRIMSON MAGIC has the ability to turn the form around from the lenient mark of 50.0kg and with the visor now removed, the 4-y-o colt who recently changed stables (moving from Kenneth Mattis to Noel Ennevor), could prove the surprise of the event, especially with former champion Wesley Henry now taking the ride.
Other firm fancies on the card are the stretch running DIAMOMDANDDAGGERS to catch WAR EDGE and ZIRCON in the third race for the Eggie Sutherland Memorial Trophy, ROYAL DEPUTY to stave off UNTOUCHABLE in the Richard Ashenheim Cup, THUNDERFORCE to catch IHEARYOUKNOCKING in the 7th, OBEAHMAN over DANCING PRINCESS and DINACOUTE in the 9th and RAJMIR to upstage FRANCESCA'S DREAM and QUEEN HILL in the closing race.
