Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
TWELVE HORSES from the claiming spread of $260,000-$220,000 are slated to contest the Birnamwood Trophy feature over 1300 metres at Caymanas Park today and it promises to be a hotly contested affair.
The 'Claiming King', trainer Richie Todd, has a glorious chance of winning the race for the second consecutive year when he saddles the consistent BOUND FOR GLORY with apprentice Dane Nelson aboard.
Last year, Todd posted ROYAL EXPEDITION to win the race as the even-money favourite. Significantly, ROYAL EXPEDITION raced in the green and orange silks of Cayjam, the owners of BOUND FOR GLORY.
While having a strong liking for BOUND FOR GLORY, it will be no walk in park for the eight-year-old bay gelding by Exotic Traveler out of Back Flack.
The field of 12 is laced with some very strong contenders, including the fleet-footed DIGITAL, SHOWDOWN, GATLIN, MR. VIGOROUS, recent winner PROCEEDACCORDINGLY and RUNDUMPLINRUN.
BOUND FOR GLORY, however, seems best equipped to pull it off from the convenient mark of 52.0kg and competent apprentice Dane Nelson aboard.
A model of consistency, BOUND FOR GLORY has finished out of the frame only once in his last 10 starts. That was last time out on April 12 (Easter Monday) when fading into 10th place behind LADY ISIS in a one mile trophy race, this after leading for 800 metres.
Prior to that he was caught and beaten close home by 45-1 outsider MR. VIGOROUS over 1200 metres on March 24 when having GATLIN two lengths behind in third. Today, BOUND FOR GLORY enjoys a 6.0kg swing with MR. VIGOROUS and is also 4.0kg better off with GATLIN.
FAIR FINISH
Todd also saddles a worthy contender in RUNDUMPLINRUN who is also owned by Cayjam. The five-year-old mare recently won over the straight five course with champion jockey Trevor Simpson aboard and next time out, finished a fair third to her out of class stable-companion PRIME FURY over the round five course, a race in which he was just beaten for second by MR. VIGOROUS.
RUNDUMPLINRUN (Simpson up) will just about get the distance and along with DIGITAL, SHOWDOWN and GATLIN should ensure keen competition.
However, I think it will come down to a straight fight between old rivals MR. VIGOROUS and BOUND FOR GLORY, both well prepared. At the revised weights, BOUND FOR GLORY gets the nod.
Elsewhere on the 12-race programme which offers two Super-6s, the progressive imported filly INTERNET COMMANDER should continue her march to the top when she takes on seven opponents in the overnight allowance (11th race) over 1200 metres.
Other firm fancies on the card are REJECT to curtail the winning ways of hat-trick seeker RESTLESS WARRIOR in the first race over 1400 metres, MOLTEN LAVE in the fifth, PLATINUM QUEEN to stave off TIP TOP MACHINE in the sixth, U.S. ONE in the seventh and GENTLE ON LINE to put it across stable-companion LOGICS in the ninth.
