Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Trevor Simpson ... will ride SAID I SAID I in today's feature race at Caymanas Park. - File Photo
FOURTEEN HORSES from the lowest claiming level ($160,000) are down to contest the annual renewal of the Long Shot Trophy over 1300 metres at Caymanas Park today.
Included in the line-up are the recent winners SAID I SAID I, RAZZAK and JACK DE FREAK. All three are expected
to figure prominently, and along with PATAS DE FUEGO, LADY BALLARI and MEDICAL ACCOUNT, should ensure keen competition.
RAZZAK and SAID I SAID I, to be ridden by former champion jockeys Wesley Henry and Trevor Simpson, respectively, are expected to carry the bulk of the betting, and rightly so.
When both horses last met over the distance on Christmas Eve, RAZZAK, running under top weight of 57kg with Simpson aboard, held off SAID I SAID I by a length in a time of 1:23.2. On that occasion SAID I SAID I was in receipt of 5kg, but today he sits level and conventional wisdom would suggest that the Rowan Mathie-trained RAZZAK will maintain his superiority.
SAID I SAID I subsequently won over 1400 metres on February 18, racing prominently into the straight and coming through approaching the distance to win by a length from MAMA'S GIRL with CROP OVER third.
Coming from the in-form stables of Robert Darby Sr., SAID I SAID I seems back to his best, and with Simpson retaining the ride, the eight-year-old son of Maverick will only go down fighting.
APPEAL
RAZZAK, however, has more appeal, especially now that he's down in class. This versatile seven-year-old gelding won again over the straight five course on January 25, stepping up in class to beat the likes of ZEALOT and SIR KNIGHT in Race No. 1 of the CTL claiming series.
Although running below par behind out-of-class CORDITE over 1500 metres on a $190,000 tag last Saturday, RAZZAK should appreciate the drop in class and is not too high in the weights to rebound in present company.
Others such as PATAS DE FUEGO, MEDICAL ACCOUNT and JACK DE FREAK, who
won easily over 1600 metres among conditional claimers last Saturday, are fit enough to figure prominently and represent ideal Hi-five choices.
However, it will more than likely come down to a straight fight between RAZZAK and SAID I SAID I. They are preferred in that order. RAZZAK is expected to race in close touch before coming through on entering the straight for a decisive win.
Other firm fancies on the nine-race programme are LA REINA to romp the first race under returning champion jockey Brian Harding; SHALOMI KUMAR to go one better in the fourth; ME LLAMO with Harding up to stave off old rival REGAL SERENADE in the fifth; and EXCLUSIVE to be third time lucky in the eighth.
