Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

THE BEST MAN (Devon A. Thomas) flashes past the winning post in the Trainers' Association feature over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park, last Saturday. Trained by Dwight Chen, THE BEST MAN won at odds of 3-1. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Both the Pick-9 and Super-6 start anew at Caymanas Park tomorrow, both failing to survive last Saturday's racing.

It's Gold Cup day at Caymanas Park tomorrow, the 12-race programme facilitating two Super-6s, while the Pick-9 will embrace races four to 12. The Pick-9 starts with the guaranteed minimum of $1 million, the first Super-6 (races one to six) with $500,000.

We look at the second Super-6 which gets under way in the seventh race for the Andrew H.B. Aguilar Memorial Cup for maiden two-year-olds over 1600 metres.

Victory should go to ante-post favourite HEART OF GOLD, who caught the eye on her fourth outing on October 15 when finishing 3 ¹/⁴ lengths second (staying on) to smart debutante HOMBRE in a fast-run 1300-metre race (1:19.2) for the Hi-Pro Stables Choice Feeds Trophy.

Trained by champion Wayne DaCosta, HEART OF GOLD will be ridden by leading jockey Omar Walker fresh from a two-day suspension. Walker should also win the eighth race aboard the sparingly raced MISS TWIST who has beaten better in the not-too-distant past.

Five-star banker

Trained by Fitzgerald Richards, MISS TWIST will be having her first outing since June of last year, but she has looked fluent at exercise and judging from the quality of her performances in the early part of 2006 when slamming horses of the calibre of CHIEF COUNCILLOR and RICKAYBA, she should win from MISS CODY BANKS, RED LION and PISON.

GOOD COMPANY, who ran a blinder at odds of 99-1 in the November 10 MegaFone Super-stakes when finishing a close third to MAJOR MAYER, looks a five-star banker in the ninth race for the Owners' Association Trophy (overnight allowance) at 2000 metres.

TRUE HONOUR, who won very easily over a 1600 metres recently in smart time, is tipped to follow up over same at the expense of EARTHWINDANDFIRE and SUMMER PRINCESS.

Eleven starters have been declared for the 11th race, the 36th running of the $1.25 million Gold Cup over 1400 metres. As is customary, this race should generate a lot of excitement with the likes of the recent MegaFone Superstakes winner, MAJOR MAYER, present, as well as the recent MegaFone Caribbean sprint champion MUSICAL MAESTRO, who bids for his fifth consecutive win; this year's Derby winner THE BOMBER, who will have to be caught, the 2004 'Horse of the Year' DISTINCTLY IRISH and the dangerous lightweights LA REINA and RAMPAGE.

The winner will definitely come from this group, but, for me, it is the vastly improved MAJOR MAYER under customary rider Richie Mitchell, ahead of MUSICAL MAESTRO and LA REINA.

Then, take down in class DIGI N'JIGGY to win the closing straight five race.

SECOND SUPER-6 FANCIES

(7) HEART OF GOLD

(8) MISS TWIST/MISS CODY

BANKS/RED LION

(9) GOOD COMPANY

(10) TRUE HONOUR/

EARTHWINDANDFIRE/

SUMMER PRINCESS

(11) MAJOR MAYER/MUSICAL MAESTRO/LA REINA

(12) DIGI N'JIGGY/

MARINERO/TALLAWAH