Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
DISTINCTLY IRISH with Winston Griffiths up. - FILE
LAST YEAR'S winner and reigning Horse of the Year, DISTINCTLY IRISH, heads a list of 13 entries (all invitees) for this Saturday's showpiece event, the $4 million Red Stripe Superstakes over 2000 metres at Caymanas Park.
Trained by 14-time champion Philip Feanny for popular owner Howard Hamilton (Hamark Farms), the classy 4-y-o gelding by Irish Quest out of the 1990 Guineas and Derby winner Distinctly Native, is one of two entries from the Feanny stables.
His other entry in the 27th running of the race is the lone filly, ALL FOR PLEASURE, who won the Courts Jamaica Oaks over the Superstakes distance back in April.
Also down to run is the 2003 winner PITTACUS from the stables of Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, as well as this year's Derby and St. Leger winner MIRACLE MAN from the stables of veteran Hall of Famer Allan "Billy" Williams.
GRIFFITHS TO PILOT 'IRISH'
DISTINCTLY IRISH will be ridden as usual by leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths, PTTACUS by title-chasing jockey Brian Harding and MIRACLE MAN by either Florida-based Jamaican jockey Allen Maragh or champion jockey Trevor Simpson.
Both DISTINCTLY IRISH and PITTACUS carry 57.0kg, while the Joseph Duany-owned MIRACLE MAN has been allotted 54.0kg, he being a three-year-old.
Completing the list of invitees are GOOD COMPANY (57.0kg) from the stables of leading trainer Wayne DaCosta, CHOSEN ONE (57.0kg), MEDIC ON BOARD (57.0), WIMBLEDON (57.0), this year's Jockey Club Stakes winner SHOW N' TELL (57.0), UNTOUCHABLE (57.0), the Derby and St. Leger runner-up AD INFINITUM (54.0kg), fellow three-year-olds ROYAL COMMAND (54.0), I AM PAID FOR (54.0) and the filly ALL FOR PLEASURE who gets a 2.0kg sex allowance from the three-year-old colts and geldings and will carry 52.0kg.
Early betting forecast: DISTINCTLY IRISH 4-5, PITTACUS 5-2, MIRACLE MAN (5-1), GOOD COMPANY (7-1), AD INFINITUM (9-1), ROYAL COMMAND and ALL FOR PLEASURE 12-1, SHOW N'TELL 14-1, and upwards.
The Superstakes is confined to native bred three-year-olds and up not only from Jamaica but the Eastern Caribbean as well. In recent years, however, there have been no overseas entries.
The Superstakes has been was won three times by horses from the Eastern Caribbean. In 1986 the Trinidadian horse BAREE BAHIN took top honours with Ranjit Kisson aboard, and he was followed by compatriots ADORING GROOM in 1996 and shock winner MY FRIEND RICH at 99-1 following the disqualification of the filly P.W's CHOICE a year later.
Both ADORING GROOM and MY FRIEND RICH were ridden by Brian Harding.
