Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Back-to-back Horse of the Year, SAINT CECELIA, makes her seasonal debut at Caymanas Park today in the $1.1 million Eileen Cliggott Memorial Trophy grade one feature over 1300 metres, and looks hard to oppose in this small field.

Significantly, the classy seven-year-old mare from the stables of Spencer Chung, bids for a record-equalling 12 consecutive wins, with Shane Ellis again in the saddle.

The long-standing all-time record is held by the 1996 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year, WAR ZONE.

Having moved impressively at exercise for today's encounter, SAINT CECEILA should have an easy passage against five inferior opponents, three of whom are her stable companions.

They are last year's Derby and St Leger winner, TYPEWRITER; American-bred GO GO YVONNE, who recently won the Gladiator Trophy; and THE GUV, all allotted 50.0kg and in receipt of 7.0kg from SAINT CECELIA.

TYPEWRITER is a class act, but needs further than 1300 metres to get rolling, and it should be left to GO GO YVONNE to chase home her illustrious stable companion over this trip.

SAINT CECELIA, who shoulders topweight of 57.0kg, should easily set the fractions in this small field and her class should do the rest.

With the Sir Howard Stakes - co-feature over 1200 metres for native-bred three-year-old colts and geldings - having to be abandoned due to insufficient entries (only five), one of the more interesting races.