Sunlight Express to rebound

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The curtain comes down on the 2011 horse racing season at Caymanas Park tomorrow with a well-supported 10-race programme which offers a Pick-9 carryover of $5.6 million.

The Pick-9 will embrace races two to 10, the first Super-6 from one to six, the overlapping Super-6 from race five to 10.

We look at the second Super-6 which gets under way with the round five Stewards' Cup secondary feature for native bred two-year-olds over the round five course.

Many-time champion trainer Philip Feanny saddles two of the 11 starters, EASTWOOD and the debutant JARREAU, a chestnut colt by Dayton Flyer out of Ecstatic who should benefit from this initial experience.

More forward is EASTWOOD (Aaron Chatrie up), who has not only worked well, but has been administered Lasix on this his second outing.

Preference, however, is for the Richard Azan-trained SUNLIGHT EXPRESS, who showed promise on his debut (third) behind POOCHIE LIU over 1100 metres in August.

Azan has put him on Lasix for the first time and the son of Traditional - Victoria has also trained nicely for this race and should make no mistake with Shane Ellis aboard.

Next on the programme (6th race) is a $250,000-$210,000 claiming race over the straight five course for which AUSTIN LUKE, J.R'S DREAM, REAL MINISTER, FABULOUSCONNECTION, OVERPRICED and the profound course specialist MARK TO MARKET should ensure keen competition in a field of 12.

MARK TO MARKET has few equals over the straight course and if reporting fully sound, will prove hard to beat with Richie Mitchell taking the ride. The seven-year-old gelding last won over the course on October 15, beating the then favourite AUSTIN LUKE by a length in a time of 59.4.

AUSTIN LUKE, who has been more consistent since, renews rivalry on 1.0kg better terms and based on the fact that he relishes the straight as well, gets the nod with in-form Dane Nelson aboard.

GOLD RUNNER, having finished close seconds to BLACK ROCKET and POCKET ACE in his two recent races, looks the obvious choice to win the seventh race over 1400 metres for maiden three-year-olds, ahead of the consistent NATURALFANTASY and CHAMPION LINKS (regaining form).

High expectations for ABRAM STAR

ABRAM STAR, who just failed to catch all-the-way winner RED THOMAS over the round five course on December 10, is confidently expected to go one better with Nelson aboard in the eighth race over the straight for native bred three-year-olds. His main danger in the 13-horse field is, of course, BABY MEKAYLA under outgoing champion Omar Walker. She finished only a length fourth in the race won by REDS THOMAS.

The impressive unbeaten American 2-y-o colt BLAST THEM AWAY (Dane Nelson up) looks a banker in the ninth race, the $1.3 million Sweet Ruckus Trophy over 1400 metres to be contested by 10 starters.

Trained by returning champion Wayne DaCosta, BLAST THEM AWAY is unbeaten in three starts and judging from his recent victory in the Dye Job Sprint over 1200 metres, is preferred to the lightly-raced RICHIESHAPPYNOTION, who though behind him (third) in the Dye Job Sprint, won impressively over 1200 metres on December 21 when administered Lasix for the first time.

Then, close a year of mixed fortunes for racing with the consistent DOLLAR WIN over 1300 metres among $180,000 claimers, a race in which ANDY CAP and ZELIHA ate twin dangers.

SECOND SUPER-6 FANCIES(5) SUNLIGHT EXPRESS/EASTWOOD(6) AUSTIN LUKE/MARK TO MARKET(7) GOLD RUNNER/CHAMPION LINKS(8) ABRAM STAR/BABY MEKAYLA(9) BLAST THEM AWAY(10) DOLLA WIN/ANDY CAPP