Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
PRINCE ORPHAN, running at odds of 9-1 with apprentice Oral Bennett aboard, wins the fifth race over 1100 metres for maiden four-year-olds and up for owner Clifton McLeish and trainer Albert Chong at Caymanas Park last Saturday.

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

Today's pre-Christmas race meet at Caymanas Park will be highlighted by the sixth and final race in the CTL Claiming Series No. 2 ($200,000 and less) over 1500 metres. Post time is noon.

The two-day Yule carnival continues on Boxing Day with the $3 million Supreme Ventures Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes over 1600 metres highlighting the 12-race holiday programme which will see overseas-based Jamaican jockeys Andrew Ramgeet, Emilio 'Bimbo' Rodriquez and Allen Maragh in action along with Florida-based Panamanian jockey Cecilio Penalba, who recently rode MIRACLE MAN to victory in Puerto Rico.

Among the 11 starters in the CTL Claiming Series is recent winner, THE MAGICIAN, one of the top contenders in the line-up.

Trained by Stanley Findlay, the four-year-old chestnut gelding by Kammtarra out of Michelle's Magic came from off the pace on December 9 to win by three-quarter length from the fast-finishing LATIN KING and MY COLLA-TERAL over 1600 metres and with the trip now reduced is afforded a sound chance of going one better with 4.0kg claiming apprentice Kevin Blake again in the saddle.

THE MAGICIAN will be gunning for his third win in recent months, having won by the resounding margin of 14 lengths in non-winners of two on September 13. In his present frame of mind he could close out the season with win number three.

NO TEAR, MAMBO, MANISH, MY COLLATERAL and the recent winner KERMIT should come in for a lot of support, especially the veteran campaigner NO TEAR who gets the ideal trip on this occasion.

The eight-year-old mare found the distance too sharp on Novem-ber 22 when finishing 9 1/2 lengths fifth to PURE JUSTICE over 1200 metres, and coming back on the convenient mark of 48.0kg with in-form apprentice Javour Simpson aboard is confidently expected to fight out the finish.

MAMBO vs MANISH

Both MAMBO and MANISH have won races over the past two months and any is capable of winning today. When both last met over 2000 metres on October 7, MAMBO beat MANISH him by 15 lengths into second place and has scored again over today's trip on November 4 at the expense of SIMPLY AWESOME and SIR KISSON LAL.

MAMBO is not badly treated with 53.0kg, and along with MANISH and back-to-form KERMIT, who will just about get the distance, should ensure a good contest.

It will more than likely come down to NO TEAR and THE MAGICIAN, who won on a $200,000 tag last time out. THE MAGICIAN, who runs from the convenient mark of 51.0kg, gets the vote.

I also like THAT'S IT to win the second race; PURE MUD the third; VERITY the fifth; CORDITE the sixth; PLEASURE CRUISE the eighth; and SEÑOR GATO the 10th.