- CARLINGTON WILMOT/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
The 2-1 favourite REGGAE RULES (right) is hard driven by Richard Mitchell to stave off the fast-finishing 89-1 outsider NATURAL SELECTOR (Chris Fearon) in the sixth race over the circular nine course at Caymanas Park last Saturday. REGGAE RULES was one of two winners for trainer Rowan Mathie and owner Errol Burke, a former jockey. The other was PHYSICS BOOK.
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
THE LONG Shot Trophy, perhaps the longest standing feature race for horses in the lowest class, is the feature event on today's nine-race programme at Caymanas Park.
The popular 1300 metre race has attracted 13 starters, including the bang in form nine-year-old gelding BUTCHER MAN, who bids for his fourth consecutive win.
Trained by Patrick Fong, BUTCHER MAN, by Schism out of Virginia Belle, duly completed a hat-trick of wins in race two of the CTL Claiming series over 1500 metres on Saturday, running on strongly in the closing stages to catch NAVIGATOR and the evens favourite POWERED BY TUNDRA in a blanket finish over 1500 metres, this on a $160,000 tag.
He was ridden by champion jockey Trevor Simpson who again has the ride.
Prior to that, BUTCHER MAN won over 1200 metres on February 5, getting up in the nick of time to deny the subsequent Clifford Stewart Memorial Cup winner SELECT PRINCESS by a short head and before that cruised home over 1400 metres, beating the subsequent winner TO BE CONTINUED by 10 lengths into third place.
On Saturday, BUTCHER MAN responded to a bustling ride to win in better company. Now dropped in class against the usual suspects, he is hard to oppose, especially with Simpson retaining the ride.
THE RIGHT CHOICE
BUTCHER MAN will relish the distance and even from the head of the handicaps, looks the right choice, despite the presence of such useful types as recent winner LADY SOLO, ZEALOT, ASK JOE, DR. PEPPER, HIGHEST CREST, LADY BALLARI, BUCKEISHA and JUSTIFIED AWARD, one who could have done better when finishing 9-1/2 lengths fourth in the race won by BUTCHER MAN.
JUSTIFIED AWARD should report more focused over the shorter distance and could have a real say in the outcome, despite Saturday's low keyed effort.
Two of the fittest horses in the line-up are ZEALOT and BUCKEISHA, both of whom went close in separate 1300-metre races last Wednesday, along with the recent straight five winner LADY SOLO, who will not be inconvenienced by the distance.
All should have a battle royal for the minor placings, but the one best equipped to chase home BUTCHER MAN is HIGHEST CREST, who truly relishes the distance.
The five-year-old mare from the stables of Donovan Bruce ran no race at all (reared start) when last out over 1100 metres on January 29, but reports in good condition and looks tempting from her lenient mark of 49.0kg.
Other firm fancies on the nine-race card are HOOKUP in the first race, SOUTHSIDE in the 4th, SIR KHAN in the 6th, MOGUL DANGER in the 7th and MYBLUBELLE over FROMRUSSIAWITHLOVE in the 8th.
