Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
The 13-1 outsider EXCLUSIVELY (No. 3) storms through under the apprentice Kerry-Gayl Robinson to catch and beat long-time leader and favourite ROOM FORTYNINE (Wesley Henry) in the ninth race over the straight five course at Caymanas Park on July 20 last year. EXCLUSIVELY is favoured to win today's feature at Caymanas Park - the Alty McKenzie Memorial Cup. - FILE
A SMALL field of six goes to the post for today's Caymanas Park feature for the Alty McKenzie Memorial Cup over a mile (claiming $240,000 - $210,000) and it should be an interesting affair.
Only COUNCIL MAN, who ran poorly behind FROM-RUSSIAWITHLOVE last time out, can be safely ruled out. But while it should be closely contested among the others, the one best equipped to win is EXCLUSIVELY, the mount of bang-in-form champion jockey Brian Harding.
From the stables of leading trainer Wayne DaCosta, EXCLUSIVELY caught the eye in a losing effort on May 27 when finishing two lengths second to PADDY'S STORM over the distance on a $280,000 claiming tag.
The five-year-old mare by Natural Selection out of the Exotic Traveler mare Camp Follower reports down in class for this race and back in action on the convenient mark of 53kg, will prove hard to beat.
EXCLUSIVELY is ideally suited to a mile and in present frame of mind should lead home SHADEKAY and KERMIT.
The Albert Chong-trained SHADEKAY chased home CAT LEGEND at a respectable distance over 1500 metres on May 23. Although taking on more than she could chew behind VICTORIA in her subsequent race, SHADEKAY is back among her peers and could prove the principal danger to EXCLUSIVELY with in-form Paul Francis riding her from the convenient mark of 52kg.
I am expecting EXCLUSIVELY to race in close touch of the anticipated leader KERMIT, before storming through from early in the straight.
Meanwhile, the 3-y-o and up overnight allowance race promises very keen competition among the 11 starters with trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes holding a particularly strong hand with TWEEDSIDE and ALPHA LUPA.
STIFF OPPOSITION
The Nunes-pair can expect stiff opposition from Wayne DaCosta's DIGI N' JIGGY, SIR KHAN, the imported three-year-old filly DATING and MONEY DANCER.
DIGI 'N' JIGGY went down narrowly to stable-companion CHADMAN in the Ren Gonsalves Memorial Cup over 2000 metres on May 27 and even from the head of the handicaps, this front running gelding can prove equal to the task.
This however is a race with lots of early pace and the likes of DATING, SILVER PEN and MONEY DANCER should ensure a truly run race. I am expecting the pace to come back to either TWEEDSIDE or ALPHA LUPA. The late kicking TWEEDSIDE with Harding astride gets the vote.
I also like LAW LORD to win the opening race, DESIRES OF THE SEA in the second, SARAH'S FRIEND in the seventh and down-in-class ZEALOT over MEDICAL ACCOUNT in the 10th.
