Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
LADY SOLO (centre), ridden by apprentice Andron Findley, getting home ahead of KING OF THE BAND (left), with Leo Miller aboard in the eighth race for $150,000 claimers at Caymanas Park last Saturday. She won at odds of 5-2. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
ELEVEN HORSES from the $270,000-$240,000 claiming spread are down to contest today's Caymanas Park feature for the George Price Memorial Cup over 1500 metres, a race in which at least six of the starters have good chances.
The winner will more than likely come from a group comprising GATLIN, KERMIT, SEA LAD, PHANTOM J, SIR KISSON LAL and GALINA POINT, who finished third in the first race on Saturday.
GATLIN, to again be ridden by champion jockey Trevor Simpson for trainer Christopher Morrison, came into his own with a long overdue win over this trip on July 2, running through along the rails to overhaul long-time leader THE BARBARIAN in deep stretch, winning by two lengths on a $310,000 tag.
DROPPED IN CLASS
GATLIN covered the distance in the decent time of 1:34.1 and now dropped in class and Simpson sticking with him, the hint should be taken.
A fit GATLIN is well capable of putting away the present opposition and he should not, for an instance, be taken lightly.
Also expected to run well is PHANTOM J who will more likely set off in front and will have to be caught under in-form lightweight jockey Wesley Henry.
The six-year-old gelding, who now takes orders from trainer Percy Hussey, having been claimed out of his last race on May 23, has been looking up at exercise in preparation for this trophy and with Lasix re-administered for this race, will not be out of.
SIR KISSON LAL was a beaten favourite behind WATERS OF MERRIBAH over 1400 metres on a $220,000 tag when last raced on June 22 and like PHANTOM J, returns under new management.
Trainer Barrington Rambally has the stretch running eight-y-o gelding in good nick for today's encounter and once fully focussed, can prove equal to the task from the convenient mark of 52kg and competent claiming apprentice Philip Parchment at the helm. SIR KISSON LAL was beaten only a length into second place by the outsider JACK EM UP over 1600 metres on a $260,000 tag on June 4 and is obviously coming to run today.
Rambally, in fact, holds a strong hand with the pair of SIR KISSON LAL and GALINA POINT, who was a fast-finishing third to FUTZ over the round five course on Saturday, this on a $260,000 tag. The five-year-old gelding by Law Of The Sea - Tropical Wave dissipated his chances a bit by swerving at the start then, yet in the end was beaten only one and a half lengths over a trip considered short of his best.
COULD BE RECALLED
On past performances, GALINA POINT could well have the beating of today's opponents. It should be recalled that earlier this season, when trained by 14-time champion Philip Feanny, he finished fourth (running on) to ZICKWARTY over the round five course in overnight allowance company on May 7. Next time out on May 23, he finished a close up third to SWEET SURVIVOR over 1200 metres in the Labour Day Trophy and was claimed out of that race for $400,000 by Rambally.
Given Saturday's blowout, GALINA POINT should be cherry ripe for today's encounter. What's more, he should relish the longer distance and despite the sound claims of GATLIN, SIR KISSON LAL and PHANTOM J, will prove hard to beat from the lenient mark of 50kg and in-form claiming apprentice Andron Findley aboard.
Other firm fancies on the card are THE BARBARIAN to make all in the over 1100 metres, the lightly raced RED ROCK to come into his own and land the second, MYSON to catch BUSTER JACK and ABOUNDING GRACE in the third race for three-year-olds, DIESEL, bidding for a four-timer, to stave off GENTLE ON LINE in the seventh and LIGHTNING BINGO to lead home old rival ARDRIGH and JOHNNA-ANN in the eighth over the straight course.
