By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterAS many as 13 races are scheduled for this the final race meet in the first quarter at Caymanas Park today, the Tewfic Ziadie Memorial Cup over the circular nine course (claiming $250,000 - $230,000) being the day's feature.
This meet will pave the way for the season's first classics, the Track Price Plus 1000 and 2000 Guineas over 1600 metres next Saturday.
Only six starters have been declared for the feature, but despite the small field it should be an interesting contest among the recent winners WILD AND RESTLESS and TIME AND AGAIN, as well as QUEEN OF BEL-AIR who has already won twice this season.
The Roy Jackson-trained WILD AND RESTLESS has the best form to recommend, having won two of his last three races and losing the other by a nose. The first of these came over today's trip on February 14, when leading home SLEW THEM RANNY and STAGETOWER on a $240,000 tag. And next time out on March 3 he just failed to escape stable-companion LUCKI PLUCKI over 1400 metres.
WILD AND RESTLESS underlined his current well being when staving off RESPECT FOR MOM over 1800 metres, a race in which QUEEN OF BEL-AIR finished a close third, but renews rivalry on identical terms.
Today, WILD AND RESTLESS should start favourite in a bid to repeat and his chances must be rated highly. However, this time around he will have Wednesday's scorer TIME AND AGAIN to contend with on the headlines.
The Michael Beecham-trained TIME AND AGAIN made virtually all over 1300 metres in the James B. Dawes Memorial Cup on Wednesday when upsetting at 15-1, this on a $200,000 tag. Although stepping up to $240,000 to vie for this trophy, the five-year-old mare by Liver Stand out of Count On Time will not be perturbed.
TIME AND AGAIN, who has already won over the circular course, is not only fit, light and raring to go but has the pace to ensure that WILD AND RESTLESS does not lead unmolested.
If they hook up for too long in this small field and WILD AND RESTLESS is forced to work overtime, they could play into the hands of stretch running QUEEN OF BEL-AIR who scored over today's trip on a $290,000 tag in late January.
Indeed, QUEEN OF BEL-AIR has won two of her four races this season and having held her form pretty well, should get up in time to beat WILD AND RESTLESS. Title chasing apprentice Ramon Parish rides QUEEN OF BEL-AIR for leading trainer Richie Todd.
Other firm fancies on the card are GLORIOUS STAR (suited by all conditions) to win the first race for three-year-olds, VICTREEBEL (too speedy) to make all at the expense of old rival CHOCOLATE SLEW in the 7th, highly thought of debutant QUEEN'S SYMPHONY (working well, little to beat) over MYBLUBELLE and FULLOFIT in the 8th, LITTLE OCHI (simply too light) to upstage the well prepared American colt METEOR MAN and MATANAH in the 9th and DR. R.S.F. (working well, loves the straight) to beat RATIFIED and PERSONAL NEMESIS in the 12th for 'A1' horses.
