Neutralizer (left), ridden by Allen Maragh, getting the better of Jig Young (right), with Robert Stewart aboard, and Cat Legend (Dal Brown) to win the 11th race over 1400 metres by a length and a quarter at Caymanas Park on Boxing Day. Neutralizer is favoured to win race six of the CTL Claiming Series today. - Ian Allen Staff/Photgrapher
Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer
TRAINER ANTHONY NUNES' CALABASH BAY should beat Open Allowance runners at 1300 metres in this afternoon's eighth event after his fair effort behind CLOCK WORK in the Digicel Irish Jamaican Stakes on Derby Day.
After an ordinary three-year-old campaign for the greater part of last season, CALABASH BAY showed vast improvement at the back-end of the year and took that form into 2007.
In March, he scored back-to-back wins, beating COMMANDING LIGHT in a 1200-metre Overnight Allowance event before going up to Open Allowance 21 days later where he upstaged stablemate LA REINA at 1300 metres.
After beating LA REINA, CALABASH BAY finished heads-on with DISTINCTLY IRISH for fifth in the April 21 Grade I Lady Geeta Trophy, run over 1200 metres and won by RAMPAGE.
Looks set to outfinish
Carrying almost top weight when sent back down in class to Open Allowance by Nunes on May 26, CALABASH BAY closed strongly under tender handling to finish a half-length second behind MUSICAL MAESTRO at 1200 metres.
With only 52 kilos this afternoon, due to Javour Simpson's apprentice claim, CALABASH BAY looks set to outfinish Philip Feanny's CLASSY BOY PETE and Noel Ennevor's MEDICAL REPORT. Both are dangerous contenders, but are disadvantaged by the distance and weight, respectively.
CLASSY BOY PETE is a loper, a far-striding runner, who likes to be settled in his motion and does not appreciate being asked to break into a gallop too early. Whenever that happens, he flattens out and is one-paced up the lane.
At 1300 metres, the pace should be hot with the likes of NASATOL, DIGI N' JIGGY and probably FREE FALL taking their chances from in front with MEDICAL REPORT and CALABASH BAY in close quarters.
Trevor Simpson will be faced with the decision of taking his chances to hustle CLASSY BOY PETE or wait until he bubbles to the boil coming off the turn, which could be too late.
MEDICAL REPORT runs his best races between 1100 and 1200 metres and should come up short over the final half-furlong as he did when CALABASH BAY rushed by him to take second behind MUSICAL MAESTRO on May 26.
In addition, a top weight of 57 kilos doesn't make Paul Francis' job any easier, whereas Nunes did the smart thing by calling in a top-flight apprentice, Javour Simpson, to slip away two kilos off CALABASH BAY.
Meanwhile, Series I of the Caymanas Track Limited claiming series closes with Race Six being contested as the third event over 1820 metres.
Super-fit NEUTRALIZER, who races off a claim for trainer Colin Ferguson, must be the horse to beat after getting the better of SIR MOHANDAS BABA and SIR KISSON LAL at 2000 metres on June 9.
