By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterIT'S HOLIDAY racing at Caymanas Park today, the moderately supported 10-race programme featuring three trophy races, two being run for the first time.
These are the inaugural running of the 3-y-o and up open allowance for the Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BG&LC) Trophy over 1400 metres, as well as the 4-y-o and up restricted allowance V (non winners of two) for the Charles Randle Trophy over the circular nine course.
The Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission Trophy offers a total purse of $600,000, this supplemented by a $350,000 contribution from the BG&LC.
There is also the traditional holiday feature for the Emancipation Day Trophy high claiming over 1300 metres to be run for the first time. This will be contested by seven starters, including the likely favourite TOCUMEN who will prove hard to beat now that he is down in class.
The Richard Azan-trained 4-y-o gelding turned in an eye catching performance on July 23 when chasing home ZULU PRINCESS over 1200 metres in open allowance company and now stepping down to claiming, should prove too good for consistent DR. R.S.F. from his convenient mark of 51.0kg. In-form apprentice Oneil Mullings has the ride.
Meanwhile, the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission Trophy race has attracted only six starters, including the lightly raced but highly thought of American 4-y-o colt FORGOTTEN HERO, who won the RJR Classic over 1500 metres in decisive fashion last Saturday.
From all indications, FORGOTTEN HERO is obviously going places and should pack too many guns for his five opponents, three of whom are in fact his stable companions.
FORGOTTEN HERO covered the distance in the fairly good time of 1:32.1 under topweight of 57.0kg and although stepping up to open allowance, carries a mere 51.0kg and should prove too good for fit stable-companion BLACK THATCH and the recent winner SIR DONALD, who could do with another furlong.
The Charles Randle Trophy, in honour of the former general manager of both the Jamaica Racing Commission and Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission, finds eight moderate horses vying for a purse of $400,000, upgraded by a $150,000 contribution from the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission.
The winner should come from a group comprising CONSCIOUS APPROACH, CYCLOPS, VALIANT NATURE, MASS JOE AND GLOBAL AFFAIR.
None of the above are genuine or consistent campaigners, yet I am prepared to give VALIANT NATURE another chance on the strength of his close second to JUST FRIENDS over 1500 metres on June 28 when having MASS JOE and ANY REASON behind.
Providing he is alert at the start, VALIANT NATURE (Simpson up) should win from CONSCIOUS APPROACH and the late kicking MASS JOE to be ridden by former champion jockey Shane Ellis who rides locally for the first time in months following a stint in Canada.
Other firm fancies on the card are the unbeaten American 2-y-o filly POSITIVE VIBES in the 3rd, ROYAL FLIGHT to turn the tables on recent conqueror ZEEDON and recent winner KING'S HIGHWAY in the 5th race and HOT SOCKS (best of a bad lot) over MY FANTASY and QUEEN OF BETHANY in the 8th race for cheap maidens.
