Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

MOST WANTED ... a cut above this level. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Bottom of the barrel claiming horses ($170,000) hold centre stage at Caymanas Park today, when 14 of them face the starter for the Drumbeat Trophy over the straight five course.

Among them is the likely favourite MOST WANTED, who has a grand chance of taking home this trophy with Panamanian jockey Ameth Robles riding for trainer Dennis Lee.

MOST WANTED is not the best drawn at post position five, but is genuine to the core and will only go down fighting.

When last raced on a $195,000 claiming tag on July 7, he finished a length third to TOCUMEN over 1100 metres, a race in which he ran very wide into the straight yet was able to finish so close.

Smart time

Prior to that, however, the six-year-old horse by Royal Minister out of Believing led home COCK ROBIN by 1-3/4 lengths over 1100 metres in the pretty smart time of 1:08.3, while he was narrowly beaten by a fast-finishing KING AL over 1200 metres on May 12.

Significantly, MOST WANTED recorded his first win of the season on his first outing over the straight on April 21, coming through in the last furlong to beat MY BOY quite easily.

Now dropped in class and the opposition holding no terrors, MOST WANTED, who could well be a cut above this level, is tipped to resume winning ways despite top weight of 57.0kg.

Stiff opposition

Still, if he does not perform up to standard MOST WANTED could face stiff opposition from the likes of YYESSBABY, MUSTANG and ARCHANGEL, all well drawn on the stands' side and ideally suited to the straight five course.

The Robert Darby Jr.-trained YYESSBABY ran a blinder in defeat behind SUPER NATURAL over the course on June 30 when losing in a blanket finish and really looks tempting at the weights.

She carries only 50.0kg and based on her last running, this free-running mare is poised to go close with in-form apprentice Carlton Malcolm aboard.

Needs to be alert

The Gary Subratie-trained ARCHANGEL has twice won over the straight this season and is not too high in the handicaps with 57.0kg to fight out the finish. Indeed, the seven-year-old gelding only needs to be alert at the start in order to figure seriously in the outcome.

MUSTANG has also won over the course this season and this free-running grey gelding should make his presence felt, while MY BOY has been knocking at the door and should be thereabouts at the finish. But they all have MOST WANTED to beat.

Other firm fancies on the nine-race programme are WHO'S STAYIN ON in the first race, OUTFITHER to stave off TAKE FIVE in the third, HEZA RANKING to make amends for his recent disqualification by landing the fourth, MARINERO in the fifth and ABSOLUTE STORMER ahead of the very fit ROYAL MAJESTY in the eighth.