Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Herecomesfudgie - File
Horses drawn from the high claiming ranks ($400,000-$460,000) hold centre stage at Caymanas Park today in the annual renewal of the J.W. 'Judge' Hardie Memorial Cup over 1600 metres.
Ten have been declared for the feature and with no fewer than five having good claims, it promises to be closely contested.
The main hopefuls are HERE-COMESFUDGIE, SIR KHAN, UNTOUCHABLE, UNLEADED, GUIDING LIGHT and I AM PAID FOR.
The latter takes a drop in class an best suited to two turn races, could still close rapidly for a share, once alert at the start.
Down in class
UNLEADED is also down in class after finishing a fair sixth to ALPHA LUPA over the circular nine course on Independence Day.
The seven-year-old gelding from the stables of Fitzgerald Richards will have stripped fitter for this race and has seemingly been 'laid out' for this trophy.
UNLEADED has been working fairly well and with connections opting for title-chasing jockey Oneil Mullings, the hint should be taken.
Also down in class is UN-TOUCHABLE who despite finishing down the field (10th) behind ALPHA LUPA on Monday, has the capacity to rebound in a race of this nature and cannot be left out of calculations.
The right choice
HERECOMESFUDGIE and SIR KHAN are old rivals who will more than likely vie for favou-ritism today. When both horses last met over this trip on April 16, the Noel Ennevor-trained HERE-COMESFUDGIE led home SIR KHAN by 2-1/2 lengths, but indications are it will be much closer between them on this occasion.
SIR KHAN, claimed by champion trainer Wayne DaCosta after his runaway victory over 1400 metres on July 21, has carried himself nicely at exercise since and with title-chasing apprentice Omar Walker taking the ride, another winning run could well be on the cards.
HERECOMESFUDGIE, who in 2003 won the Governor's Cup, St. Leger and Gold Cup, could still be the better horse and back in action from the convenient mark of 53.0kg, and smart apprentice Andre Martin aboard must have a grand chance of taking home this trophy.
HERECOMESFUDGIE adver-tised his well-being when last raced in overnight allowance company on July 18, finishing second to GOOD COMPANY over 2000 metres in the Joseph Ashenheim Memorial Bowl. Now down in class on the convenient mark of 53.0kg, 'FUDGIE' looks the right choice.
Other firm fancies on the card are the Wayne DaCosta-trained two-year-old filly AHWHOFAH in the opening race for the Terremoto Trophy over the round-five course, DUE PROCESS in the third, NIJINSKY'S WAR to repeat in the fourth, PRINCESS TERRON in the fifth and MEDICAL REPORT over MAJOR MAYER, and recent winner CHADMAN in the knotty-looking eighth race over 1200 metres for open allowance horses.
