By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterEASILY THE most competitive race on today's 11-race programme at Caymanas Park is the 3-y-o and up overnight allowance over the straight five course for the G.A. 'Sarge' Bucknor Memorial Cup, one of four trophies at stake.
The other trophy races are the 3-y-o and up open allowance for the Fontainbleu Trophy over 1500 metres, 2-y-o maiden special for the Rhoel Rhoden Memorial Cup over 1100 metres and race number four in the CTL Claiming Series ($170,000 $145,000) over the circular nine course.
Ten starters have been de-clared for the 'Sarge' Bucknor Memorial and with good recent form present, it promises to be a highly competitive affair. The main hopefuls are INSATIABLE, EPICTATUS, U.S. ONE, HEDIA'S PROSPECT, recent winner KING AL and the improving three-year-old colt MEDICAL REPORT who is coming off a recent win.
PROS AND CONS
After looking at the pros and cons, I believe speed will decide the outcome. As such I think it will come down to a straight fight between INSATIABLE under customary pilot Clive Lynch and the imported filly U.S. ONE (Paul Ramsay), who is something of a specialist over the course.
Although not the best drawn at post position two, INSATIABLE will not go down easily. The five-year-old gelding from the stables of Richie Todd reported from an 11-month absence on October 9 and led at a fast clip over 1100 metres until collared in the last furlong. He finished only 2-1/4 lengths third to the fast-closing ROYAL MALICE with STORYBOUND second.
Now a lot better for that pipeopener, INSATIABLE will be calling school early and can definitely win this from his convenient mark of 55.0kg. The son of RESTLESS THIEF INSTEAD OF ROSES was beaten only a length into second place by one-time 'Horse of the Year' I'MSATISFIED in the Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint over 1200 metres last November. Prior to that he beat some good horses in a number of races over sprint and middle distances.
Despite his sound claims, preference is for the fleet-footed American 4-y-o filly U.S. ONE, who in addition to winning twice this season, has run some big races in defeat, especially over the straight course.
Trained by Gary Subratie, U.S. ONE proved highly competitive against reigning 'Horse of the Year' A KING IS BORN over the course on July 10, actually disputing the lead with the classy 4-y-o colt for the first three furlongs in exciting splits (22.3, 45.2) to be beaten by 2-1/2 lengths, the winner covering the distance in near track record time of 56.4.
U.S. ONE subsequently finished a close to second RAKKADASH over the straight five course on July 24 and last time out on September 25, chased home old rival A KING IS BORN in the Reggae Trophy over the course, another fast run race (56.4).
THE RIGHT CHOICE
Now back among her peers and nicely in with 53.0kg, U.S. ONE looks the right choice, as she is more favourably drawn than INSATIABLE. She will report in good nick and I am expecting her to gallop on to the main track just ahead of INSATIABLE and hold on well in the latter stages to beat him and the very fit EPICTATUS.
I also like the down in class COURT CASE to win the Fontainbleu Trophy ahead of CAPTAIN BONE and hat-trick seeker BLACK THATCH, SOLID SOLUTION in the Rhoel Rhoden Memorial Cup and the front running REEF RUNNER over FLASHING LYNDA in the CTL Claiming Series.
Other firm fancies are SULA in the 2nd, SIR ABBAS MANGAL over BLUE CANTREL in the 4th, the well prepared MYSTIC RIVER in the sixth and SPEED HOWARD to catch COURT JESTER in the 7th.
