Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
RAMPAGE, with Charles Hussey aboard, is the one to beat in today's feature race at Caymanas Park, the Lotto Classic. - File
A FIELD of 14 native bred three-year-olds is slated to contest today's mile and quarter feature for the Lotto Classic (Governor's Cup) at Caymanas Park and indications are it will come down to a straight fight between the 2000 Guineas winner RAMPAGE and the runner-up ALLIEDFORCE. The race offers a purse of $2 million.
Also on the well-supported 'Lotto Day' 12-race programme are the $1 million Lotto Sprint (graded stakes) over 1100 metres to be contested by five starters including the classy American colt QUIET STRENGTH who bids for his eighth consecutive win; the $650,000 Lotto Dash over 600 metres straight for native bred two-year-olds; the $415,000 Lotto Challenge Trophy ($350,000 - $320,000) over 1400 metres and the $160,000 claiming race for the Lotto Championship Trophy over 1100 metres, this offering a purse of $345,000.
SVL has contributed $1,050,000 to purses on the day, including $300,000 to the Lotto Classic.
Off the track, punters can win lucrative prizes, including the Lotto Megaball Spin for a whopping $100,000.
RAZOR SHARP
RAMPAGE and ALLIEDFORCE will report razor sharp for today's encounter and it could be close now that the Noel Ennevor-trained ALLIEDFORCE (Oneil Mullings up) is in receipt of 4kg from Richard Azan's RAMPAGE.
True, both HIDALGO and CALABASH BAY are at a stage of rapid improvement and should run creditably against the big two, while GETAWAYBOY stays pretty well and is light enough to finish among the first four. A fair case could ago be argued for Ennevor's THE SMOKER, if only for the fact that he is the only three-year-old to have extended RAMPAGE in a race since last November. THE SMOKER failed by three-quarter length to catch RAMPAGE over 1400 metres in the Prince Consort Stakes on March 11 and could run above himself once again.
Still, the focus will definitely be on the big two RAMPAGE and ALLIEDFORCE.
RAMPAGE whipped ALLIEDFORCE by 4 3/4 lengths in the April 1 2000 Guineas over 1600 metres, but the latter enjoys a decent swing in the scales and Lasix first time should also help his cause.
CLASS HORSE
RAMPAGE, though, represents the class horse of the field and despite his wayward style of running (bobbing and weaving) in the straight, his abundance of class should see him through.
RAMPAGE has not only moved brilliantly at exercise in preparation for this race, but Azan has elected to run him in the visor on this occasion in order to address his bob and weaving.
Regular rider Charles Hussey said Azan has improvised a special kind of visor for RAMPAGE on this occasion and it should have the desired effect on his style of running.
The bay colt by Pat N Jac out of the Texas Prospector mare Arantxa has good speed and despite the strong claims of ALLIEDFORCE, is tipped to make it five in a row. He should use this race as a stepping stone for the upcoming Digicel Derby.
HIDALGO, CALABASH BAY, GETAWAYBOY or THE SMOKER should complete the Hi-Five.
Philip Feanny-trained QUIET STRENGTH should also be followed in the Lotto Sprint despite top weight of 60.5kg. And take the well-forward debutante SHAKE YOUR BOOTY to win the Lotto Dash for two-year-olds; recent winner LIGHTENING ALLEY to repeat under Hussey in the Lotto Challenge Trophy over 1400 metres in which recent winners OH NO GRANDPA and FROMRUSSIAWITHLOVE are twin dangers, and down in class MOST WANTED over SIR CHARLES and RESHMA in the Lotto Championship Trophy.
