Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterWITH THE fancied horses having come good at Caymanas Park last Saturday, both the Pick-9 and Super-6 exotic bets start anew. The Pick-9, which offers a guaranteed minimum payout of $1 million, will be conducted from races four to 12.
Meanwhile, provision has been made for two Super-6s on the 12-race programme the first from races one to six and the second from seven to 12.
We look at the second Super-6, which gets underway with a restricted allowance VI (non-winners of three) to be contested by seven starters over 1100 metres.
Among them is the hot ante-post favourite EASTERN LIGHT who could be carried as a banker by virtue of his close second to HOOKUP over 1200 metres on March 2, a race in which he passed the furlong pole two lengths clear, and looking a winner all over, before succumbing to HOOKUP in the closing stages.
Next is the eighth race for imported three-year-olds and up in which the Philip Feanny-trained debutante MISS CHESTNUT, with leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths aboard, seems poised to open her account first time of asking.
This well-conformed American 3-y-o filly has been moving well at exercise in recent weeks and despite the presence of stable-companion MONEY DANCER and PRECIOUS MISS D who failed narrowly at long odds over the round five course a month ago, MISS CHESTNUT, based on exercise reports, could well be a cut above present company.
Race nine, the $675,000 Thornbird Stakes for native-bred three-year-old fillies over 1400 metres, the final prep for the April 2 1,000 guineas over a mile, looks tailored for the highly thought of SI MI TRIAL, who is unbeaten in two starts.
The classy chestnut filly from the stables of Wayne DaCosta, showed her mettle on February 19 when she romped the Hot Line Stakes over 1200 metres, her first race in seven months.
Although running a bit green that day, SI MI TRIAL (Charles Hussey up) will report razor sharp tomorrow, having caught the eye at exercise last Sunday morning when breezing 5 1/2 furlongs in a fast 1:06.1.
The 10th race for maiden four-year-olds and up should resolve itself into a straight fight between SHANIA, the mount of champion jockey Trevor Simpson and DUST ROCK, who is knocking at the door.
SHANIA, second to NAVAJOJOE over 1400 metres recently, gets the nod, but only just.
Last season's champion two-year-old KAMIR (working exceptionally well) is tipped to make a winning seasonal debut in the 11th race, the Prince Consort Stakes over 1,400 metres for native bred three-year-old colts and geldings, a race in which the improving NATURAL DESIRE looks his only real danger by virtue of his fast-time (1.32.2) runaway win over 1500 metres on January 29.
Then, take the once useful DANCE DIXIE to slaughter conditional $140,000 claimers in the closing straight five race where OBEAHMAN and GONDOLIER could ensure he is extended.
SECOND SUPER-6
(7) EASTERN LIGHT
(8)MISS CHESTNUT/MONEY DANCER
(9) SI MI TRIAL
(10) SHANIA/DUST ROCK
(11) KAMIR/NATURAL PRINCE
(12) DANCE DIXIE/OBEAHMAN
