Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Brian Harding to pilot OLE KING COLE. - FILE
MAIDEN THREE-year-olds hold centre stage at Caymanas Park today when they contest the Linval McFarlane Trophy race over 1400 metres in honour of the 2005 champion groom.
Popularly called 'Pickings', McFarlane is attached to the stables of champion trainer Wayne DaCosta who does not have a runner in the 11-strong field.
The race should be keenly contested by likely favourite OLE KING COLE under champion jockey Brian Harding, MYTHICAL PEGASUS, SANKOFA, VERITY and MARKET DAZZLE, all in good nick. The Anthony Nunes-trained OLE KING COLE had both VERITY (fifth) and MYTHICAL PEGASUS (sixth) behind when finishing third (always prominent) to DIGITEC and RAMADA over 1600 metres last Wednesday and is a worthy favourite for top honours.
The bay colt by Royal Minister out of Lady Sailor had worked well after his last race and although he can expect stiffer competition from old rivals VERITY, who led for 1300 metres a week ago, and MYTHICAL PEGASUS who saw his chances dissipate by rearing at the start, OLE KING COLE gets a golden opportunity to finally open his account with a furlong less to travel.
DANGEROUS CONTENDERS
Two dangerous contenders are MARKET DAZZLE and the lightly raced SANKOFA who has been administered Lasix for the first time and will be coming to run from his convenient mark of 53.5kg.
Trained by Dwight Chen, SANKOFA is a well-built chestnut gelding by Royal Minister out of the Schism mare Dance Parade. He has been looking up at exercise in preparation for this race and could prove the biggest danger to OLE KING COLE.
The Noel Ennevor-trained MARKET DAZZLE was far from disgraced when finishing a fair fifth (beaten 5 1/2 lengths) to ABENG over 1200 metres on March 4 and given the additional furlong, should not be denied a chance with only 52kg, especially from her favourable outside draw.
All in all, OLE KING COLE has the best chance of taking home this trophy. I am expecting him to race in close touch of expected leader VERITY before coming through early in the straight to win from SANKOFA.
Other firm fancies on the nine-race programme are TWEEDSIDE to catch FUSILIER in the second race over the circular nine course; CHAMPAGNE AND GOLD to tag VENOM in the fourth; down in class SPYRIT to make all from her favourable high number draw in the eighth race over the straight where in-form TIGERINTHEWOODS and GOINGTOKANSASCITY are twin dangers, and MAMA'S GIRL to catch SIR CHACHA BABA and FORSETI in the closing race for $160,000 claimers.
