Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
CARIBBEAN MINISTER, one of two winners for champion jockey Brian Harding, is brought with a terrific late burst to win the eighth race over 1600 metres in a driving finish from long-time leader GURBAN (Oneil Mullings) and BEAT THE DRUM (Charles Hussey) at Caymanas Park on Wednesday. He won at odds of 5-2.
OVERNIGHT ALLOWANCE horses take the spotlight at Caymanas Park today with a field of 12 down to face the starter in the L.C. McKenzie Memorial Trophy over 1400 metres. Also on the 10-race card which commences at noon is the 2000-metre race for the W. 'Billy' Pick Memorial Cup to be contested by 10 horses from the $290,000-$260,000 claiming spread.
The L.C. McKenzie Trophy has attracted a highly competitive field from which HOUDINI AGAIN, JACK DE PRINCE, JUST SOME THOUGHTS, PRECOCIOUS MISS D, CHOSEN ONE, HERECOMESFUDGIE and hat-trick seeker RISTO-CAT are the main hopefuls.
An interesting entry is the improving American 4-y-o colt HOUDINI AGAIN, who bids for a hat-trick of wins with leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths again riding for 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny.
After opening his account over the straight five course in restricted company on May 23, HOUDINI AGAIN came back to beat a good field over 1200 metres in the pretty good time of 1:12.4.
Although slowly into stride that day, HOUDINI AGAIN coupled up nicely from early in the straight, storming through a furlong out to win by 3-1/2 lengths from the three-year-old colt SUPER NATURAL.
HOUDINI AGAIN will be facing more seasoned opposition, what with the likes of JACK THE PRINCE - a former Caribbean Sprint champion the useful American colt JUST SOME THOUGHTS, the consistent imported mare PRECOCIOUS MISS D, the 2004 St. Leger and Lotto Classic winner HERECOMESFUDGIE, not to mention CHOSEN ONE and the very fit RISTO-CAT present.
The sparingly raced JACK DE PRINCE (Charles Hussey up) returned from a one-year absence on June 3 and installed an 8-5 favourite for that race, finished a close up third to RISTO-CAT and PRECOCIOUS MISS D over 1200 metres, this after missing the break as usual.
CAN REBOUND
JACK DE PRINCE is not only better off at the weights with RISTO-CAT, but will have benefitted greatly from the run and can definitely rebound.
The same is true of top weight JUST SOME THOUGHTS, especially with the distance just perfect, as well as the front running CHOSEN ONE who has worked brilliantly as usual and the Feanny-trained HERECOMESFUDGIE (Trevor Simpson up), who has not only finished close up in his last two races, but has pleased in preparation for this race.
HOUDINI AGAIN faces pretty stiff opposition this time around but I believe he has the potential to take home this trophy. He has worked well and is not too high in the handicaps (56.5kg) to extend his winning streak.
Other firm fancies on the card are DESIRES OF THE SEAS in the first race, STREET FIGHTER over RAMADA in the 2nd, ELECTRO SMART in the 6th, PRINCESSJACQUELINE over CHAMPAGNE AND GOLD in the seventh and JELEN'S CHOICE over NATURAL SELECTOR and NEUTRALIZER in the eighth race for the 'Billy' Pick Memorial Cup.
