Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
RICARDO MAKYN, Staff Photographer -
Zickwarty, one of three winners for Trinidadian jockey Brian Harding and trainer Anthony Nunes, romps the seventh race over the round-five course for overnight allowance horses at Caymanas Park last Saturday, winning as the 4-5 favourite.
TODAY'S pre-Xmas race meet at Caymanas Park offers a whopping Pick-9 carryover of $5.1 million, a situation that should result in heavy betting as punters go all out to make a killing.
This marks the ninth consecutive raceday that the Pick-9 has eluded punters and as things now stand, a payout in excess of $6.5 million looks a real possibility. The Pick-9 embraces races two to 10.
Meanwhile, the 10-race programme offers three trophy races, including the $320,000-$270,000 claiming for the Paul Newman Memorial Trophy over 1600 metres and the 3-y-o and up restricted allowance I for the Rimsky Trophy over the circular nine course.
There is also race No. 6 in the CTL Claiming series ($170,000-$145,000) over 1100 metres. This has attracted 13 starters, including PHYSICS BOOK who won easily over the straight five course on December 8 at the expense of several of the rivals he will face today.
IMPRESSIVE IN VICTORY
Owned and trained by the series leader Barrington Rambally, PHYSICS BOOK was so impressive in victory on a similar tag that he is tipped to repeat from the convenient mark of 53.0kg.
The seven-year-old son of Notebook is just as effective on the round course and should win from THE SEVENTH WAVE, CLASSY TANYA and the speedy STRAIGHTTOTHEHEART.
Seven have been declared for the Rimsky Trophy and judging from the manner in which early season classic contender CRUISING ALTITUDE squandered the opposition over the distance in the good time of 1:57.1 on December 4, the three-year-old colt by Pat N Jac out of For My Jet looks all set to repeat with in-form Trinidadian Brian Harding riding for trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes.
True, CRUISING ALTITUDE has a bit more to do against the likes of SIMPLYUNBELIEVABLE, SHOW N' TELL and TON OF DESIRE in this non-winners of three event. But bearing in mind the distance and the fact that he has worked well in preparation for this trophy race, CRUISING ALTITUDE should prove equal to the task.
MAIN DANGER
The much improved SIMPLYUNBELIEVABLE, who failed in his bid for the hat-trick on November 24 when finishing 3-3/4 lengths third to LOCHNESS DRAGON over 1600 metres, looks the main danger.
The Rambally-trained BROTHER DANIEL enjoys winning races and in light of this should provide the answer to the ninth race for the Paul Newman Memorial Trophy over a mile, to be contested by seven starters.
BROTHER DANIEL has won two of his last three races, the more recent on November 13 when leading home REJECT and BADBOYBIN over 1500 metres, this on a $300,000 tag.
The free running five-year-old horse by Al's River Cat out of Pleasant Company is back against familiar opposition and from the convenient mark of 54.0kg and in-form apprentice Kerry-Gayle Robinson at the helm, should repeat at the expense of old rival REJECT and recent winner LADY ISIS.
Other firm fancies on the card are SIR JONMAR (knocking at the door) to upstage old rival MOGUL DANCER in the 4th, down in class BADBOYBIN over the very fit FROMAJACKTOAKING in the 5th, GO ON GO ON to outsprint CHUCKY and SHADE OF JADE in the 6th and ANCIENT ROCK to do likewise at the expense of HARMONICS and DUST ROCK in the eighth race for maiden three-year-olds.
