- Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
TROPICAL DREAMER, one of two winners for champion jockey Trevor Simpson, romps the sixth race over 1200 metres by six lengths at Caymanas Park on Wednesday, obliging as the howling 1-5 favourite in a field of 12.
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
THE HIGHLY competitive overnight allowance class takes centrestage in today's principal feature at Caymanas Park in the annual renewal of the Gerry Skelton Memorial Cup over 1100 metres.
This is one of four trophy races on the well supported 10-race programme. The others are the 4-y-o and up restricted allowance for the Glen T. Williamson Cup (non winners of three) over 2000 metres, the restricted allowance II (non winners of two) for the Flossie McNeil Memorial Cup over 1200 metres for native bred three-year-old and up mares and fillies over 1200 metres, and the Sunnyside Stakes 2-y-o maiden special over 1100 metres.
The Glen T. Williamson Cup has attracted 10 starters and from all indications, should resolve itself into a straight fight between the stable-companions UNLEADED and UNTOUCHABLE to be ridden by in-form Shane Ellis and champion jockey Trevor Simpson, respectively, for trainer Anthony Nunes.
Both have proved competitive among better horses in recent months and having finished head No. 5 on in a fast seven-furlong exercise gallop (1:27.0) on November 8, it could go either way.
SHORT HEAD
My leaning, however, is towards UNLEADED on the strength of his short head second to THE MINISTER in the Sir Walter Gilbey Memorial Cup over 1800 metres on October 9, this in open allowance company.
The well-forward debutante RAGING STORM with Ellis riding for top two-year-old trainer Richard Azan should upstage her eight opponents in the Sunnyside Stakes for native bred two-year-old fillies, while LE CHIC, who is knocking at the door, gets the nod over stable-companion GRACIOUS GIFT and the lightly raced but improving T.V. AD in the Flossie McNeil Memorial Cup.
The race of the day is undoubtedly the ninth for the Gerry Skelton Memorial Cup to be contested by nine overnight allowance horses. With no fewer than six horses having good claims, it promises to be close.
Wayne DaCosta's CRUICIAL POINT has finished close up in his past three races and with Simpson now taking the ride, can score an overdue win.
The speedy 3-y-o gelding by Crucial Trial out of Bonsai led for five furlongs when finishing third to stable-companion JACK DE PRINCE and STORYBOUND over 1200 metres on October 30 and given this reduced trip, his chances must be rated highly.
ENCOURAGING FOURTH
The Canadian mare STORYBOUND, who was just ahead of him in that race, came back to finish an encouraging fourth to CAPTAIN BONE in the Red Stripe Mile last Saturday and she too is a very dangerous opponent. The same is true of KING AL who finished a close up fourth to JACK DE PRINCE in the Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint over 1200 metres last Saturday.
KING AL has been a model of consistency and along with TOUCH THE POWER and the American 3-y-o colt RIZZI LEE, now fitted with the visor, should help to complicate matters further.
It will more than likely come down to CRUCIAL POINT, STORYBOUND and KING AL. My vote goes to CRUCIAL POINT who has been taken to task at exercise in preparation for this trophy.
Other firm fancies on the card are GILNOCK to catch REJECT in the first, recent course winner RAZZAK to stage KOOLGREENMONEY in the fifth again over the straight and consistent BADBOYBIN who was third to BROTHER DANIEL in slighty better company last Saturday, to upstage NO TEAR and bold frontrunner DIGITAL in the eighth.
