Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
The horses contesting the seventh race at Caymanas Park last Saturday, over the circular nine course, leave the gates promptly on a wet surface. The winner was HEART'S CRY (closest to camera) with Richard Mitchell aboard, coming from gate No.8. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Although the Rhoel Rhoden Memorial Trophy for maiden two-year-olds is the feature at Caymanas Park today, Pick-9 activity will take centre stage thanks to a $4.89 million carryover.
Having eluded punters for the past seven race days, the Pick-9 will more than likely top the $6.5 million mark given the heavy betting anticipated.
With outsiders such as ATTI-TUDE at 56-1, ALL FIRED UP at 13-1 and ALI SPENDER at 12-1 derailing punters a week ago, a Pick-9 consolation prize of $334,116 was paid to one lucky punter with seven of nine winners.
Significantly, the Pick-9 was not the only carryover from last Saturday. The Super-6 boasts a carryover of $616,934.25 and the Hive-Five $272,213.50, this into the seventh race for the Rhoel Rhoden Memorial Trophy over 1100 metre, to be contested by 11 juveniles.
Indications are that victory will go to the well-forward debutante MALAVITA from the stables of Richard Azan.
Awell grown colt by Pat N Jac out of Magic Butterfly, MALAVITA has been burning up the track at exercise and has really impressed with his speed.
On Wednesday, August 8, he galloped three furlongs in 34.3, then on August 13 he galloped from the gate in a brisk 59.2, the first four in 46.2. With his preparation complete, MALAVITA should make a winning debut under Richie Mitchell.
MALAVITA is in fact one of seven newcomers in the lineup but none of the others is expected to test him seriously. His principal danger must, therefore, be the Wayne DaCosta-trained THUNDER STORM, who caught the eye on his recent debut when finishing a close second to I'M MAGIC over 600 metres straight.
Elsewhere on the card, POLISH MARKET looks hard to oppose when she contests the second race for $170,000 claimers over 2000 metres, now aimed this low.
When last campaigning at this level on July 7, the five-year-old mare romped home by the resounding margin of 19 lengths from subsequent winner EXOTIC GLOW.
She then finished a close fifth to HOODEDONJAZZ over 1500 metres in overnight allowance company on July 28, and seventh to ALPHA LUPA over the circular nine course on August 6.
To the surprise of everyone, POLISH MARKET is stepping way down in class to contest this race and it will take some sort of divine intervention to stop her from handing out a thorough thrashing to her seven opponents, including EXOTIC GLOW.
Other firm fancies on the card are HARMONICS in the third, NUFF RESPECT to repeat in the fifth, WAGONIST and PRINCE TERRON to do likewise in the sixth and 10th races respectively, and the well-trained ASKAWOMAN ahead of ALNASKRA and OH NO GRAND-PA in the closing straight five race.
