Right Marker ready for feature

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

A well-supported nine-race programme signals the return of Sunday Racing to Caymanas Park today with the 3-y-o and up open allowance race for the St Catherine Cup over 1100 metres taking the spotlight.

This marks the first of four Sunday meets scheduled for this year - the second on Derby weekend of June 10, the third on July 8, and the fourth on December 16.

Sunday racing made an historic debut with an eight-race programme at Caymanas Park on November 29, 2009 and since then, there have been two follow-up meets, the most recent exactly a year ago.

There is still no provision for off-track betting or the participation of the bookmakers for Sunday racing until a ruling is made by the new government.

Small field

Despite the small field slated for the feature, the race promises keen competition every inch of the way.

Among the starters is the progressive native-bred four-year-old filly RIGHT MARKER. who bids for her fifth-consecutive win with Paul 'Country' Francis again in the saddle.

Trained by veteran Noel Ennevor for owner/breeder Donald Williams, RIGHT MARKER will be up against some very fit horses, three of whom were winners last time out as well.

They are the imported filly DA BOOM now stepping up in class with a light impost after her fast-time win over this trip on Boxing Day, Courtney Walsh's 5-y-o grey mare TREND SETTER, who beat a good field of open allowance horses over 1200 metres on New Year's Day, and not least, Patrick Smellie's ONLY BEGOTTEN SUN, who is coming off a narrow win in the Frankie Frazer Memorial Cup over 1300 metres on January 7.

Completing the field are topweight LITTLE WASP and the speedy SARAGOSSA, both winners in the past three months.

The Anthony Nunes-trained SARAGOSSA (working well) under Shane Ellis will more than likely set off in front, while stable-companion TREND SETTER with champion jockey Dick Cardenas in the saddle will, as customary, be closing strongly at the finish.

RIGHT MARKER, however, is definitely going places and on the strength of her fast-time wins in recent weeks, should chase SARAGOSSA from early and take control in the straight.

She will report as fit as hands can make her and is not too high in the scales with 55.0kg to make it five in a row.

Other firm fancies on the card are INSPIRATION (little to beat) in the opening race over 1400 metres, AWESOME SENSATION (showed promise on recent debut) in the third for maiden three-year-olds, MISS MAY for best-strike-rate trainer Paul 'Sleeper' Charlton in the fourth. down in class RUN CHARM RUN in the sixth, and CHAMPION LINKS (knocking at the door) in the seventh.