Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
VENOM, with leading jockey Brian Harding aboard, cruises to victory in the sixth race over 1100 metres at Caymanas Park on Saturday. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
FOR THE second consecutive raceday there will be no trophy race at Caymanas Park, the intended feature for the Harry Rigg Memorial Cup having to be abandoned due to insufficient entries.
As a result, Division II of the restricted allowance IV (non winners of three) over the straight five course takes the spotlight as one of the most competitive races on the nine-race programme.
It should be a good contest among the likes of I AM NOT ORDINARY, PRIOR PARK, recent winner SUPER BOY, MONEY MAKER and DIAMOND KING, all expected to figure prominently in the eight-strong field.
PRIOR PARK failed by only half a length to catch RUCKUS over the course on a $260,000 claiming tag July 8, and even with a bit more to do, will not be far away at the end now back over the straight.
The Richard Azan-trained MONEY MAKER ran evenly when finishing five lengths fourth to EMMVEEPEE over the course on a $320,000 claiming tag on July 1 and with title-chasing jockey Wesley Henry riding her from the convenient mark of 50kg, can definitely go home a winner once alert at the start.
The Percy Hussey-trained BLACK RIVER has been a model of consistency and although continuing to suffer from seconditis, can prove equal to the task in a race of this nature, having finished a close second to SHALOMI KUMAR over the course last time out with four-time champion Charles Hussey aboard.
Back-to-form SUPER BOY should also help to complicate matters following his recent runaway win over 1500 metres last Wednesday. The sparingly- raced five-year-old gelding from the stables of Gary Subratie is back to his rightful level and is not too high in the handicaps with 57kg to figure, neither is DIAMOND KING who went close last time out and enjoys galloping over the straight as well.
The one that really catches my fancy is I AM NOT ORDINARY, who is ideally suited to the course. The 4-y-o filly from the stables of Garrett Arscott failed by a neck to stave off RED I over the course on April 29 when coming from the dreaded number one post position, but had MONEY MAKER just behind in third that day.
It should be pretty close between them today, but I AM NOT ORDINARY came back with a good effort in defeat (fourth) behind SHALOMI KUMAR and BLACK RIVER and under these favourable conditions, should use her speed to best advantage and prove hard to beat with only 50kg.
Other firm fancies on the card are ABSOLUTE POWER to romp the second race for maidens, VALID REASON in the seventh, KEELER in the eighth and LEGENDARY GLITZ over RED ROCK and LIBERTADOR in the closing race over 1400 metres.
