By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterMID-WEEK racing resumes at Caymanas Park today after a two-week break with a fairly well supported nine-race programme featuring the $200,000-$180,000 claiming race for the W. "Billy" Pick Memorial Cup over 2000 metres.
Eleven horses have been declared for the feature, including the down in class EMPERADOR, MAHENDRA EXPRESS, DANCING FLAMES, YOUNG SUMMER, RAJMIR and ROSY CAT, the main hopefuls.
EMPERADOR, who has beaten better in the not too distant past, will more than likely start favourite, especially after finishing a good fourth to MY PAL DON over a mile on May 28, this on a $300,000 claiming tag.
EMPERADOR, who was claimed by trainer Peter McMaster on behalf of his wife Miss Suckie for $330,000 after winning on April 25, has lowered his sights to vie for this trophy and will not go down easily in the circumstances.
What's more, the 5-y-o son of Imperial Ballet out of Runaway Shelia has looked fit in recent exercise spins and is not too high in the handicaps with 56kg to resume winning ways, especially with the distance more to his liking.
American-bred ROSY CAT from the in-form stables of Richie Todd showed improved form in better company on May 31, finishing 5 1/2 lengths seventh to MR. VIGOROUS over the circular nine course.
The steadily improving son of Western Cat has been kept on the move at exercise and along with RAJMIR, DANCING FLAMES, recent winner YOUNG SUMMER and the useful but unpredictable MAHENDRA EXPRESS, should ensure that EMPERADOR does not have things too easily.
Should EMPERADOR have an off day, however, RAJMIR who was an easy winner over the circular nine course on May 16 or MAHENDRA EXPRESS should fight it out. They are the exactas with my selection, EMPERADOR.
Elsewhere on the card, TOCUMEN who has been knocking at the door in recent races, has a glorious chance of winning when he takes on four opponents in the 3-y-o and up Open Allowance over 1100 metres.
Owned and trained by Richard Azan, TOCUMEN ran on well over 1200 metres June 7 when finishing two lengths second to vastly improved INSATIABLE and prior to that was a length and half second to SPIRIT OF JAMAICA over today's trip, a race in which he had the speedy GOINGTOKANSASCITY behind in fourth.
The Wayne DaCosta-trained GOINGTOKANSASCITY will surely make a brave bid from in front. But providing TOCUMEN receives capable assistance from his apprentice rider Andrew Nunes, the 4-y-o son of Domino Jack should get there in the nick of time, as both RUCKUS and recent winner AWESOME MINISTER should keep 'KANSAS CITY' honest into the straight.
Other firm fancies on the card are RED LADY, now dropped in class, to make all in the second race, Philip Feanny's REAL RISK (working well) to tag BADBOYBIN and GALAXY GIRL in the competitive looking fourth race for three-year-olds, THAT'S GOLD to stave off RESTLESS PIRATE in the fifth, luckless MOLTEN LAVA to catch ROCKET GUITAR and BRINGBACKDIMONEY in the sixth and down in class HEART THROB to make all at the expense of L.S.C. CHOICE in the seventh for high claimers.
