Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterTHE JOSEPH Ashenheim Memorial Bowl 3-y-o and up overnight allowance race over 2000m is today's feature at Caymanas Park. Post time is 12 noon and 11 races are scheduled.
With no fewer than half of the eight starters having strong claims, the race promises to be keenly contested as only RAPIDASH in my view can be safely ruled out.
Included in the lineup are the recent winners ECSTATIC and PROCEEDACCORDINGLY who romped the Emancipation Day Trophy over 1300 metres in high claiming as recent as August 1. Also expected to run well over this trip are DE BARREL COME, ZEEDON and BISTRO.
The Philip Feanny-trained ECSTATIC has the most appealing form to her credit and this being the case, will more than likely start favourite under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths.
After failing by a nose to stave off RED GENERAL over a mile on July 6, ECSTATIC came back with a mere 49.5kg to beat FABRIKATOR and topweight DE BARREL COME by 3 1/2 lengths and a length respectively over 1700 metres in overnight allowance company.
The free-running filly came back with a brave effort in defeat on July 27 when beating all but the vastly improved CAPTAIN BLIGH in the RJR Classic over 1500 metres, grabbing the lead early in the straight but failing to stave off CAPTAIN BLIGH in the last furlong.
ECSTATIC continues to move nicely at exercise and being the type that can be rated kindly among the leaders before breaking loose at a crucial stage, is back with a grand chance of resuming winning ways.
It should be recalled that in the RJR Classic ECSTATIC had to contend with PROCEEDACCORDINGLY in the pace for the first couple of furlongs before the latter fell back when squeezed a bit for space approaching the half mile.
Despite this, PROCEEDACCORDINGLY recovered to turn for home five lengths fourth (three lengths behind ECSTATIC), but flattened out to finish seven lengths ninth, five lengths adrift of ECSTATIC.
Five days later, PROCEEDACCORDINGLY romped the Emancipation Day Trophy, covering the distance in the fairly good time of 1:20.2 on a tight rein. Although stepping up to overnight allowance company, PROCEEDACCORDINGLY can figure seriously from his convenient mark of 52.0kg with in-form Brian Harding aboard and the trip ideal. The 6-y-o son of The Medic - Proceed renews rivalry with ECSTATIC on 5.0kg better terms based on their running in the RJR Classic and will only go down fighting.
I am also expecting brave bids from proven distance horse ZEEDON, working well despite two unplaced efforts in recent races, as well as BISTRO who, though having changed stables since his last race back in March, has looked well in his preparation and cannot be under-estimated from the convenient mark of 52.0kg in a race of this nature.
While having every respect for ECSTATIC and PROCEEDACCORDINGLY, my idea of the winner is DE BARREL COME to be ridden by top jockey Trevor Simpson for leading trainer Wayne DaCosta.
The key to his chances lies in that performance on July 6 when finishing 4 1/2 lengths third to a lightly weighted ECSTATIC over 1700 metres, this under topweight of 57.0kg. On that occasion he was slowly into stride and outpaced, yet made up a significant amount of late ground for third.
At the revised weights, DE BARREL COME has a glorious chance of turning the tables and beat the others as well, especially over the longer distance. He caught the eye at exercise in a one mile spin last Sunday and given his capacity to come from well of the pace, should catch them in deep stretch providing he is alert at the start.
Other firm fancies on the card are KING AL in the first race, ZULU PRINCESS in the 5th, JOIE DE VIVE over slow starting HOT NUMBER in the 6th, SEAMASTER to catch KYLE'S DIVA in the 7th, and KAYDENE to stave off BUSHY PARK RAJA in the 8th.
