That special brand of excitement

Millimetre (Charles Hussey) fancied to win 2000 Guineas. - File

By Cliff Williams, Freelance Writer

THE decision by the then promoting company in concert with the Jamaica Racing Commission in 1975 to have two races, one for each sex, in the opening classic, the Guineas, added a new and exciting dimension to the Futurity programme for three-year-olds.

In fact, only two fillies managed to win in the first fifteen stagings when racing was moved to Caymanas Park in 1959. It was therefore clear that only in the event that a filly was in the exceptional side would she have a realistic chance of winning. The fact of the matter is that in horseracing the fairer sex traditionally has generally exhibited less ability, especially in Futurity races.

There was at that time a radical departure in terms of purse structure for the race in that both sexes ran for equal prize money...a situation that occurs nowhere else in the racing world. The purses for races confined to fillies only is substantially less than that awarded to colts. In Europe in particular the difference is so significant that occasionally we see fillies for example contesting the Epsom Derby in England rather than the Oaks which is run in the same meeting.

Interestingly, all the Classics in the major European capitals are open to three-year-old fillies and incidentally as well, only entire colts are allowed to participate and geldings are not eligible. In our jurisdiction the Jamaica Racing Commission has not seen it fit to direct any such stipulation and rightly so since our racing industry has not yet got to the stage where our classic winners are guaranteed to be high class with impressive stud value.

There is something about classic races that creates a special brand of excitement. The fact that generally there is a three-year-old who, based on class and performance emerges clear favourite, absolutely no one treats the races as foregone conclusions. The moment the list of starters become official there is a new round of healthy debate amongst the punters as to what will influence the outcome. The truth is that no matter how confident some are about the winning prospects of favourites there is always a nagging doubt at the back of the mind.

In theory the weight allotment in classic races, level for colts and gelding and a two kilos sex allowance for fillies should really give more than a fair chance to any horse demonstrating superiority over its peers in the preparation races. However, there have been too many instances where the obvious simply does not materialise; and sundry other factors have to be taken into account the principal one being which horse is best on the day.

With reference to the 2000 and 1000 Guineas at Caymanas this weekend there isn't anything in the form books to suggest that favourites Millimetre and Awesome Power will not win their respective sections. There is no question that both come into races with proven superiority, but only what happens on the day matters ultimately.

In the overwhelming majority of instances our breeders have only managed to give us one or two top class horses from a classic racing viewpoint and very few of our futurities are really that competitive meaning that in any one race three or more starters have winning chances. Nevertheless, the massive purses ensure that there is usually enough to make for an interesting race. From this column its good luck to all owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys and grooms involved in the opening classics.

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