Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer 
Clive Lynch leads Diamond Express, with Clive Lynch aboard, coming home an easy winner in the fifth race at Caymanas Park on February 1 this year. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRPAHER
TWO TROPHIES are at stake on today's 10-race programme at Caymanas Park, including the sixth and final race in the CTL Claiming series ($200,000-$170,000) over the circular nine course.
This race has attracted eight starters and looks tailored for the distance specialist LADY ISIS who is regaining form. She was a fast-finishing third to SIR MOHANDAS BABA over 1600 metres on June 3 and back in action with only 51.0kg, should prove too strong for QUICK MEDIC, SIR KNIGHT and NIJINSKY'S WAY under these conditions.
A more competitive race is the ninth (restricted allowance IV) for the Valbert Marlowe Memorial Cup (non winners of three) over 1800 metres, confined to four-year-old and upwards.
Eight starters have also been declared but with no fewer than five of them having good claims, it promises to be keen.
SLOW STARTER
Leading lights are DIAMOND EXPRESS, SOY MUJER, VICTORIA, POLISH MARKET and slow starter HIGH GRADE, who only needs to be alert at the gate in order to figure seriously.
Whether the grey colt HIGH GRADE will give it away at the start is left to be seen, but a better case can be made for the Desmond Shand-trained 4-y-o gelding DIAMOND EXPRESS, who has caught the eye at exercise in preparation for this race.
A consistent sort, DIAMOND EXPRESS lost few marks in defeat on May 13 when chasing home HAIL THE I over 1300 metres in non winners of four. Prior to that he occupied a similar position behind impressive winner SIR KHAN in a fast-run 1500-metre race on April 26. In both races he shouldered top weight of 57.0kg.
BACK AMONG PEERS
Now back amon his peers and eased a bit in the weights (55.0kg), DIAMOND EXPRESS is tipped to resume winning ways.
The son of Footloose II out of It's A Diamond won back-to-back races during the first quarter, looking the part when slamming PECKUS OUT and HIGH GRADE over a mile on March 15 under top weight of 57.0kg.
DIAMOND EXPRESS also beat subsequent winner POLISH MARKET into fifth place that day and she came back to beat another subsequent winner, SOY MUJER, into third place over 1700 metres on April 17.
The Philip Feanny-trained filly VICTORIA is coming off a narrow win on June 3 and if running up anywhere to the form which saw her finishing second to ALL FOR PLEASURE in last year's Jamaica Oaks, can successfully fight out the finish under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths.
But DIAMOND EXPRESS has a lot going for him after galloping 5-1/2 furlongs in 1:08.3 at exercise last Saturday morning. He has good pace, is well suited to the distance and I take him to resume winning ways at the expense of VICTORIA and SOY MUJER.
