Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Sweet Looking Guy (left), responds to a bustling ride from Phillip Clunis to out-finish long-time leader and 6-5 favourite Bushy Park Raja (Oneil Mullings), in the 10th race over the straight five course at Caymanas Park last Saturday. Trained by Jackson Hong, Sweet Looking Guy won at odds of 4-1. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE FIRST midweek meet for 2006 gets under way at Caymanas Park today with the nine-race programme featuring the first race in the Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) Claiming Series ($200,000 and less) over the straight five course.
The promoters have again made provision for two series, the first from January to June, and the second from July to December.
Last year, owner Jelf Gray, trainer Patrick Fong and groom Winston Thompson won both series, thanks to the versatile and consistent nine-year-old gelding BUTCHER MAN.
Eleven starters have been declared for the start of series one, among them SAMMY MY GIRL, who won two races in the second series in July and November last year.
Although having changed stables (claimed) on January 14, moving from Gresford Smith to Dennis Lee, SAMMY MY GIRL has proved competitive in two recent races, the more recent on January 14 when finishing 1-1/2 lengths second to the course specialist HEAVENLY DREAMS over the straight.
SAMMY MY GIRL and HEAVENLY DREAMS, along with RAZZAK, SWEET JADE and ZEALOT, should ensure a highly competitive race.
All are fully effective over the straight, but none more so than HEAVENLY DREAMS, who was claimed out of her last race by trainer Robert Taylor on behalf of Anthony 'Baba' Nunes.
The seven-year-old mare by The Medic out of Dream Watcher is still well within herself, and being the speediest in the line-up, should take a lot of catching from the handy mark of 52.0kg.
Last time out she led comfortably on to the main track and was two lengths clear passing the furlong pole. She only had to be pushed out by Wesley Henry to win by 1-1/2 lengths from the strong-finishing SAMMY MY GIRL.
With the genuine $200,000 claiming horses SIR KNIGHT and BOUND FOR GLORY not running up to their best for some time, it should come down to HEAVENLY DREAMS and SAMMY MY GIRL with RAZZAK, ZEALOT and SWEET JADE fairly close up at the finish.
LIGHTWEIGHT JOCKEY
HEAVENLY DREAMS, to be ridden by bustling lightweight jockey Leo 'Twitch' Miller on this occasion, will have to be caught and I take her to stave off SAMMY MY GIRL, who could benefit from stronger handling with Kenyatta Davis taking the ride.
Other firm fancies on the card are the lightly-raced SWING BY to go one better in the second race for maiden three-year-olds, BELLAS GATE BOY to lead home ALLIEDFORCE in the fifth, LITTLE ANTHONY to catch HEAD OVER HEELS in the sixth, the consistent SAYONARA to wear down ROYAL SEA in the seventh, and FIASCO to upstage NIJINSKY'S WAR in the closing race for $160,000 claimers.
