By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterIT'S PEPSI Day at Caymanas Park tomorrow, the well supported 11-race programme featuring some competitive looking races, including the million-dollar Pepsi Invitational over 1500 metres for top class horses.
From the look of things, Pick-9 and Super-6 bettors will have to dig deep into their reserves in order to find the winning combinations.
On Wednesday, the Pick-9 proved elusive despite five winning favourites. However, a 20-1 upset by WOLF GANG in the closing race for $140,000 and a mild upset by 5-1 chance REJECT in the third race where RED GENERAL was widely used as a banker, ensured a Pick-9 shutout.
$M PAYOUT
Still, nine punters with eight of nine picked up $8,768.50 each. The carryover stands at $606,694.00 and the payout could be close to a million dollars providing the Pick-9 is cornered.
As far as the Super-6 is concerned, seldom does a day go by that it is not caught and Wednesday was no exception. Twenty punters with all six received $17,740.00 each.
The focus tomorrow is on the Super-6 which embraces races six to 11.
The sixth, for three-year-olds and up over (claiming $320,000 - $290,000) over the circular nine course, has attracted 11 starters including top contenders EMPERADOR, GILNOCK, CRIMSON MAGIC, FRIENDLY EXPRESS and DANCING FLAMES.
EMPERADOR, to be ridden by four-time champion Charles Hussey for trainer Dennis Lee, will more than likely start favourite bearing in mind he is down in class to contest this race following his unplaced effort behind RESTLESS WARRIOR over 1400 metres on a $360,000 tag recently.
Significantly, the five-year-old gelding notched his last win over this trip on August 16 when staving off GILNOCK by 2 1/2 lengths with JIG YOUNG some way down the field in third. EMPERADOR renews rivals with GILNOCK on similar terms but the latter now has the services of a more accomplished rider in former champion Shane Ellis (replacing apprentice Andrew Nunes) and it should be closer between the two.
CRIMSON MAGIC (working well) and DANCING FLAMES (focused for this) are ideally suited to the circular course and should complicate matters further, especially CRIMSON MAGIC (visor off) who steps down from overnight to claiming company to contest this race and is poised to go close. EMPERADOR, however, gets the nod.
The second Super-6 race (the seventh) for the 7Up Sprint over 1300 metres, brings together a crack field of 12 comprising the recent winners JACK DE PRINCE, RIVER JORDON and MILLENIUM PRINCESS who led home COURT CASE over 1100 metres in fast time last Saturday, but has gone up appreciably in the weights as a result.
COMPETITIVE
In addition to the abovementioned quartet, other such as PITTACUS, PROMINENT and SAINT COLUMBA should prove competitive.
After careful examination of the form, I believe the race will come down to a straight fight between the talented native bred three-year-olds JACK DE PRINCE and PITTACUS who was third in both the Derby and St. Leger.
Trained by Anthony Nunes, PITTACUS has been taken to task at exercise in preparation for this trophy and none will report fitter. Despite his sound claims, preference is for the Wayne DaCosta-trained JACK DE PRINCE who was most impressive last time out when slamming a good field of three-year-olds over 1400 metres, covering the distance in the smart time of 1:24. 3. He has moved impressively at exercise coming into this race and should stave off PITTACUS and SAINT COLUMBA.
Race number eight for maiden three-year-olds looks tailored for JACK EM UP, who caught the eye when finishing a close second to DUE RESPECT over 1100 metres on September 10. The lightly raced gelding will be better for that pipeopener and should win from NOT QUITE MAGIC, BLAZING BULLET and the debutante JACK DE FREAK who has looked fairly well at exercise.
The ninth for the Ting Classic Trophy should resolve itself into a straight fight between BLUE DEBBIE and REGAL WISDOM, with BLUE DEBBIE getting the nod by virtue of her easy win over a mile on August 20.
The tenth race, the third running of the Pepsi Invitational Trophy (grade one) over 1500 metres, brings together a star-studded of seven, including last year's winner MILLIMETRE.
Significantly, the race sets the stage for a straight fight between top trainers Philip Feanny (who saddles four) and Wayne DaCosta with three charges. I think it will come down to a three-cornered tussle involving SPIRIT OF JAMAICA, FORGOTTEN HERO and the vastly improved three-year-old gelding HERECOMESFUDGIE who will not find the trip too short.
My idea of the winner is the Feanny-trained SPIRIT OF JAMAICA on the strength of her good second to A KING IS BORN in the fast run Digicel Cup over 1300 metres on August 30 when finishing eight lengths clear of the third horse FORGOTTEN HERO, now 0.5kg worse off.
The closing race for the Aquafina Rush Trophy should see LADY SABITA getting the better of CALL TO ARMS, LITTLE M and RED LADY.
