PICK-3 RACEDAY LAUNCHED: The Jamaica Lottery Company's CEO Howard Mitchell (left) along with company chairman Howard Hamilton and CTL's executive manager for marketing, Millicent Lynch, take a keen interest in the trophy donated by the sponsors for the first race in the Pick-3 Challenge series for maiden two-year-olds to be run at Caymanas Park on Saturday. Occasion was yesterday's launch for the three-race series at the Terra Nova Hotel. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer THE ANNUAL renewal of the $260,000-$220,000 claiming race for the George Price Memorial Cup over 1500 metres is today's feature at Caymanas Park and eight will face the starter.
Included in the line-up is super-fit NO TEAR who bids for a hat-trick of wins with regular pilot, top apprentice Paul Francis again riding for in-form trainer Noel Ennevor, his apprentice master.
Although stepping up in class since winning back to back races over 1700 metres in recent months, NO TEAR who has been kept on the move at exercise could bring fitness into play and make it real close. The versatile five-year-old mare is ideally suited for the distance and is not to be taken lightly from the convenient mark of 50kg.
In addition to NO TEAR, others having sound claims are FRIENDLY EXPRESS, MR. VIGOROUS and the Richie Todd-trained imported colt ROSY CAT who, though still a maiden, showed enough in his last race to be afforded a live chance.
ROSY CAT was a fast-finishing third (beaten 2 1/2 third) to TSUNAMI over 1300 metres on a $260,000 tag on August 30 and has been kept on the move at exercise for today's engagement. The American bred 4-y-o should welcome the additional furlong and, in present frame of mind, is a danger to all.
The two most likely to carry the betting, however, are FRIENDLY EXPRESS and MR. VIGOROUS, both having lowered their sights to vie for this trophy.
When they last met over the distance on August 30, FRIENDLY EXPRESS finished ninth and MR. VIGOROUS 12th in the race won by TIGERINTHEWOODS on a $310,000 claiming tag.
At the revised weights, FRIENDLY EXPRESS who raced in touch for some way should be able to confirm his superiority on 6kg better terms.
What's more, the 6-y-o son of Restless Thief has worked well in preparation for this trophy, galloping 35.4 (easy) for three furlongs last Saturday morning.
With no real pace in the race, FRIENDLY EXPRESS should set off in front from early, providing he comes away cleanly from the No. 1 post position.
He should be chased by MR. VIGOROUS and NO TEAR in the early going but is expected to escape them from the top of the lane and hold the late charge of ROSY CAT.
Smart apprentice Oneil Mullings is down to ride FRIENDLY EXPRESS for veteran trainer Harry Jaghai.
Other firm fancies on the card are DUE RESPECT in the second, recent winner MAKING WAVES to repeat at the expense of STRAIGHTTOTHEHEART in the third, RENEE'S STAR (little to beat) over SIPPIN CHAMPAGNER in the fourth, DR. R.S.F. to tag likely favourite RESTLESS WARRIOR in the fifth and the free-running WAR EDGE to stave off RASCALA in the seventh.
Meanwhile, at yesterday's launch of the Pick-3 Challenge Trophy series of races at the Terra Nova Hotel, CTL's racing secretary Denzil Miller Jr. said the first of the three races in the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's (TOBA) Yearling Sale series, the Pick-3 Challenge Trophy, will be run at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
The race will be contested by native-bred maiden two-year-olds over the straight five course.
Each race in the series offers a total purse of $565,000 and sponsors, the Jamaica Lottery Company, have put up a total of $600,000 for the series, with $200,000 going to the purses of each race.
The second race in the series will be run over 1200 metres on October 11 and the third and final on November 1 over 1100 metres.
Several of the races on Saturday's programme will be named after Pick-3 games while the programme will also facilitate the Dewhurst Stakes for two-year-old winners, the L.R. "Bob" Mayall Memorial Cup and Calvin O'Sullivan Memorial Cup races.
As usual, the Jamaica Lottery Company will be offering numerous prizes (and surprises) for lucky punters on each of the three race days.
