By Orville Clarke,
Freelance Writer
TODAY's racing at Caymanas Park marks the first midweek race meet for the year 2001. The 12-race programme features the $150,000-$130,000 claiming race for the Colin Melhado Memorial Cup over 1200 metres.
A field of 10 had been declared from which the recent winners BRAVE DANCER and BRUT along with GIMME A DOLLAR, KEISHA'S PRIDE, STANDING ALONE, INDIAN RAJA and THE ODYSSEY should ensure an intriguing contest.
Normally, I would have included WILL YOU MARRY ME among the main hopefuls, for on paper his chances are fair. However, the six-year-old gelding who runs from a different barn today does not enjoy winning races and a minor share looks his best hope.
BRAVE DANCER, despite losing an iron last time out, turned in a brave effort under apprentice Donovan Miller to win the Clifford Stewart Memorial Cup over today's trip on January 6, this in a blanket finish from AWESOME GAIN and GIMME A DOLLAR with the then favourite WILL YOU MARRY ME well beaten in ninth place.
Today, BRAVE DANCER bids for his third consecutive win over the distance and if all goes well with him, this consistent eight-year-old gelding who has shown a particular liking for the distance, should not be under-estimated.
The same is true of GIMME A DOLLAR who is fit as hands can make him. However, GIMME A DOLLAR and BRAVE DANCER return in a tougher spot and could find the genuine $150,000 - $130,000 horses giving little away.
Among them are STANDING ALONE, KEISHA'S PRIDE, BRUT, INDIAN RAJA and of course, THE ODYSSEY who ran very well on a $180,000 tag January 13 when finishing a close fourth (prompted pace) to LUCKI PLUCKI over 1500 metres. Having worked very well since, THE ODYSSEY will be right there at the finish.
Also expected to run well are STANDING ALONE and KEISHA'S PRIDE, both winners in recent months. STANDING ALONE last won on October 14 when running on strongly to beat KEISHA'S PRIDE by 2 3/4 lengths over 1100 metres.
While having every respect for STANDING ALONE, BRAVE DANCER and especially THE ODYSSEY, the one that really catches my fancy is the consistent nine-year-old gelding BRUT, who beat LUCKI PLUCKI and WILL YOU MARRY ME quite convincingly in the Craven 'A' final over 1300 metres on December 23.
Since then, BRUT could only manage fourth to the dead-heaters LUCKI PLUCKI and AINTREE over 1300 metres on a $180,000 tag a week later. But he was far from disgraced and now back among his peers, his final rattle should prove hard to withstand from the convenient mark of 53.0kg.
BRUT will find the distance right up his street and is fit enough to resume winning ways with his December 23 winning rider, apprentice Larris Allen again at the helm, for trainer Robert Darby.
Other firm fancies on the card are CHAPSIE (little to beat) in the second race, SEEINGISBELIEVING (better for recent pipeopener) in the third, PROUDEST NATIVE (too light in bid for hat-trick) in the fifth, INI (caught the eye behind Lady Kampoor on Saturday; less to do) in the eighth, MEDICAL ALERT (working really well) in the ninth and DOCTOR RENNINGS (poised to open account) over SENATOR in the closing straight five race.
