By Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Philip Feanny's grey filly ROSE BUD, running at odds of 9-5, is hard driven by jockey Ameth Robles to win the eighth race over the straight five course by half a length from fast-finishing TO SIR WITH LOVE (right, Charles Hussey), at Caymanas Park on Easter Monday. The race was confined to maiden three-year-olds. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
TOMORROW's Racing Pools game will be highlighted by the 64th running of the Courts Jamaica Oaks to be contested by native bred three-year-old fillies over 2000 metres.
Listed as the seventh race on the Pools programme, the $2 million classic has attracted 10 starters, including the Track Price Plus 1000 Guineas runner-up ONE ONE NINE and her stable-companion RISING STAR who finished third, as well as the beaten favourite NAUGHTY BY NATURE who could only manage sixth place after stumbling at the start.
A notable absentee is the Track Price Plus 1000 Guineas winner AERO COMMANDER who went lame and was scratched yesterday morning on the advise of the vet. That leaves ONE ONE NINE, NAUGHTY BY NATURE and RISING STAR as the top contenders and while the improving PERFECT STORM and CRUCIAL SEASON have some appeal, the race should be won by the above-mentioned trio.
The Wayne DaCosta-trained ONE ONE NINE, with champion jockey Trevor Simpson now taking the ride, ran on well for second in the closing stages of the Guineas and given the additional 400 metres of the Oaks, her chances are outstanding, especially having worked well for this race.
Still, I prefer NAUGHTY BY NATURE who despite finishing a remote sixth in the Guineas, things just didn't work out for her that day. To begin with she had been coughing coming into the Guineas and to compound matters further, stumbled at the start and had to be hurriedly ridden on the inside to recover, eventually blowing up approaching the three to finish 12 lengths adrift of AERO COMMANDER.
The Paul J. Fung owned and trained filly came out of the Guineas "chipped up", according to her trainer, and had to miss five days of work. She did, however, work well last Saturday morning when galloping seven furlongs in 1:29.2 and with the worse apparently behind her, NAUGHTY BY NATURE should atone with leading all-time classic winning jockey Winston Griffiths aboard.
The daughter of Prime Rate Powers - Bump 'N' Whine romped the March 15 Thornbird Guineas Trial Stakes at the expense of AERO COMMANDER while having the likes of ONE ONE NINE well beaten that day. With the distance not an obstacle, she should stave off ONE ONE NINE.
Meanwhile, Racing Pools results for last week's game, are as follows: Three first prizes of $8,293.10 each for 31 points; 17 second dividends of $418.70 each for 30, and 75 third dividends of $47.50 for 29 points. Carryover $35,542.10. Sales $143,604.50 on 943 coupons.
The opening race in tomorrow's game should see JUICE, YO YO'S PAL, INFINITY GIRL and DIANA'S HOPE in contention where it matters. YO YO'S PAL ran HONEY BEE to a length when last venturing over the course on April 5 and with a lot still in his favour, should lead home INFINITY GIRL (who finished upsides him that day) and JUICE, who has been knocking at the door.
PRINCESS ALEXANDRA, now dropped in class, should take a lot of beating in the second race over 1400 metres, a race in which LUCKI PLUCKI and recent winner ASK JOE are twin dangers.
In contrast, the third has a rather difficult look about it, with horses such as BUTCHER MAN, TOM CAT, TEMPUS FUGIT, DON FABULOSA, FOREST FRESH, YOUNG SUMMER and recent winner WARRIOR complicating matters.
The grey DON FABULOSA has beaten better in the not too distant past and although reporting from a three-month respite, has looked well at exercise and should return with a bang. His main dangers are BUTCHER MAN and TOM CAT.
The fourth race (overnight allowance) should resolve itself into a straight fight between BLACK THATCH and CAPTAIN BLIGH (preferred in that order), while it should be ROYAL CRUSADER (running better on Lasix) in the 5th, SEEMELATER (regaining form) in the 6th, NAUGHTY BY NATURE in the Oalks and LADY RUTH in the 8th and final.
