By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterTHE TWO-YEAR-OLDS take centre stage at Caymanas Park today when seven of them, all maidens, contest the round-five feature for the Royal Lancaster Trophy. The nine-race programme gets under way at 1:00 p.m.
With neither of the two debutantes looking forward enough to figure, the race should still prove competitive among four of the five remaining starters, namely, HEZA RANKING, PRINCE MOHAWK, STATE PRINCE and SYMBOL OF HOPE, the most experienced in the line-up by virtue of six outings.
The Neville Cooper-trained SYMBOL OF HOPE has run some useful races in defeat, notably her close second to CIRCLE DRONE over 1200 metres on October 30 and her 5 1/4 lengths third to JACK BE GOOD and JACK SPARROW in race one of the Pick-3 Super Challenge/TOBA Yearling Sale Series over 1200 metres on October 9 when chasing the winner to the last furlong.
SYMBOL OF HOPE has worked well in preparation for this trophy and is sure to make a brave bid with jockey Chris Fearon (who recently returned from the United States) riding her for owners Kemarley Stsbloes.
PRINCE MOHAWK, to be ridden by champion jockey Trevor Simpson for outgoing champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, is yet to impress in three starts, but did show sufficiently on October 18 when finishing 8 3/4 lengths third to SENOR GATO to be conceded a chance.
It should be noted that the bay colt by Royal Minister out of Princess Nerak has been administered Lasix for this race after failing to click behind HONEST LIONISE over 1200 metres recently and having been kept on the move at exercise, should run a vastly improved race.
THE ONE TO BEAT
While SYMBOL OF HOPE and PRINCE MOHAWK should run well along with STATE PRINCE, who has looked sharp enough at exercise to be in contention, the one to beat must surely be HEZA RANKING who has shown good speed in two starts and will enjoy evey inch of this the minimum trip.
HEZA RANKING chased the highly thought of JACK SPARROW at close range in the backstrech when finishing second over 1100 metres in race two of the Pick-3 Super Challenge/TOBA Yearling Sale Series behind fast splits of 23.2, 46.4.
After turning for home second by a length, the class of the winner became obvious and HEZA RANKING graciously accepted second, 7 1/2 lengths behind JACK SPARROW in what was a fast run race (1:06.4).
Back in action with apparently less to do, HEZA RANKING should set off in front and make all convincingly. Trainer Welsh Soutar has the chestnut gelding by Alisios out of Lady Ranking in good nick and senior jockey Clive Lynch should do the rest.
Elsewhere on the programme, the Anthony Nunes trained 3-y-o gelding TUSCAN SUN has a glorious opportunity to notch his second win from nine career starts when he runs for a tag (claiming $210,000-$180,000) for the first time in the eighth race over the straight five course.
True, the son of Kammtarra has failed to live up to early expectations, but despite this, has been aimed low enough in claiming company for the first time and should use his speed to best advantage now reverting to sprints.
What is more, TUSCAN SUN has worked very well coming into this race, galloping five furlongs out of the straight in a fast 1:00.2 last Wednesday morning. He is also well drawn on the outside of the 10-strong field and should go all the way at the expense of down-in-class JIG YOUNG and recent course winner MEZZALUNA.
Other firm fancies on the card are MEDICAL SOCA to catch INTROSPECTION and BONNIEVIEW in the second race, VISCOSITY in the fourth, TROPICAL DREAMER in the sixth, and NAVIGATOR to put it across RAJMIR in the closing race for $140,000 claimers.
