Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
CHADMAN, under former champion jockey Trevor Simpson, holds on from stable companion DIGI N' JIGGY to win last year's 2000m Reynold 'Ren Gonzalves Memorial Cup at Caymanas Park. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
NINE OVERNIGHT allowance horses are slated to contest today's Caymanas Park feature race for the Joseph Ashenheim Memorial Bowl over 2000 metres, among them the vastly improved American four-year-old gelding, CHADMAN.
Conditioned by champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, CHADMAN was successful under top weight when last venturing over the distance in the Ren Gonsalves Memorial Cup on May 27, a race in which he had the likes of subsequent winner DIGI N'JIGGY (second), HERECOMESFUDGIE (fourth), ALPHA LUPA (sixth) and SIMPLYUNBELIEVABLE (seventh).
The grey filly ALPHA LUPA came back to beat a good field of overnight allowance horses in the L.C. McKenzie Trophy over 1400 metres on June 24, a race in which HERECOMESFUDGIE had little luck in running (hindered). Now going two turns, 'FUDGIE' can rebound with former champion Percy Williams riding for 14-time champion Philip Feanny.
Both ALPHA LUPA and HERE-COMESFUDGIE will get the distance, especially the latter who scored two famous victories over same in the 2004 St. Leger and Lotto Classic (Governor's Cup).
WELL TRAINED
HERECOMESFUDGIE was beaten only 2 1/4 lengths into fourth place by CHADMAN in the Ren Gonsalves Memorial. However, back in action well trained and renewing rivalry with CHADMAN on 2kg better terms makes him an appealing proposition in a race of this nature.
Others such as UNLEADED (a stable-companion of Alpha Lupa) and the lightly-weighted SIMPLY-UNBELIEVABLE could also enter the reckoning, but the three that really matter are CHADMAN, HERECOMES-FUDGIE and the Anthony Nunes-trained ALPHA LUPA.
With CHADMAN coming back with a brave effort in defeat among open allowance horses on June 10 when failing by a neck to stave off DON LIMPIO in the Zaleucus Trophy over 1800 metres, he looks the right choice now down in class for this race.
The form of the Zaleucus Trophy has been working out nicely in that the third horse, SEATTLE'S GIRL, came back to win the Owen Silvera Memorial Cup over a mile last Saturday in open allowance company.
Top weight of 57kg will not deter CHADMAN at this level and having moved impressively at exercise coming into this race, he gets the nod over HERECOMESFUDGIE. Title-chasing jockey Charles Hussey has the ride.
Other firm fancies on the nine-race programme are the speedy PYRITE TONIGHT to stave off CHARMING LUTHER in the second race, PLEASURE CRUISE to romp the fourth, SEEMELATER over the recent winner SIR CHACHA BABA in the sixth and the recent runaway winner CHOO CHOO CHOO to repeat in the closing straight five race where TWIN STAR looks his main danger.
