Ainsley Walters, Freelance Reporter
MEDIC ON BOARD, ridden by champion jockey Omar Walker, pulls away from KERMIT and WHITE WATER (left) to land last Saturday's 1300-metre sixth event at Caymanas Park.
WELSH SOUTAR'S HIGH GRADE reports down in class on a $315,0000 tag for this afternoon's 2000-metr V. Armond Memorial Cup, after romping home by 10 lengths at 1820 metres when he last raced at the level on October 20.
Claimed from Patrick Fong by Soutar after his runaway win, HIGH GRADE was pushed up to Overnight Allowance a week later but had no chance at an unlikely distance, 1400 metres, behind NATURAL DESIRE, DIESEL and JET BLASTER.
Edging down in class among $380,000 claimers a month later, November 28, HIGH GRADE found REGGAE RUCKUS and UNLEADED too tough and finished a respectable third as the 8-5 favourite at 1800 metres.
HIGH GRADE was far from disgraced in finishing third, two and a quarter-lengths behind UNLEADED, who subsequently returned to beat Overnight Allowance company for the 11-furlong CTL Fan Appreciation Trophy on New Year's Day.
This afternoon's distance is right up HIGH GRADE's street as HEZA RANKING, LATIN KING, CHINA TOWN and DESIGNED FOR LUCK will be all over each other, trying to get first run into the lane.
In addition, they are all stepping up in class to tackle HIGH GRADE at his pet trip.
Good Company
Champion trainer Wayne DaCosta's GOOD COMPANY continues to travel sweetly at exercise and gets the nod over Gary Subratie's Megafone Mile winner, FIRSTINTHESAND in the 10th event for Open allowance runners at 1820 metres.
GOOD COMPANY placed third in the Superstakes, at odds of 99-1, behind MAJOR MAYER and MIRACLE MAN, before returning to slam Overnight Allowance horses in his subsequent race on December 8.
FIRST IN THE SAND stormed home to outfinish ALPHA LUPA in the MegaFone Mile for imported horses on Superstakes Day but returned to perform dismally in the December 8 CTL Gold Cup in which she was outsped and finished next-to-last.
Subratie's runner hasn't been asked to do much at exercise whereas GOOD COMPANY has been taken to task, impressing in five and a half-furlong spins, and will have to be caught up the lane with Dane Nelson.
GOOD COMPANY has topweight 57.0 kilos whereas FIRST IN THE SAND will carry 52.0, due to Carlton Malcolm's apprentice claim.
However, with stablemate PASSA PASSA in the line-up, GOOD COM-PANY should be able to relax off the lead, keeping his reserves intact for FIRST IN THE SAND's stretch run.
Rex Tipou
Elsewhere on the 11-race card, Percy Hussey's REX TIPOU should put away rivals in the seventh race at 1500 metres for non-winners-of-two after his storming finish behind IN THE PRIME on New Year's Day.
Returning off a seven-month lay-up at 1200 metres, REX TIPOU, a lightly raced four-year-old making his third career start, straightened seven lengths fourth behind IN THE PRIME and was fast catching the speedster when the post intervened.
A nine-length winner on debut over 1100 metres last May, REX TIPOU disappointed a week later, finishing fifth as a 7-5 favourite behind ROMEZ, RUSH TO VICTORY and SOY GRANDE at 1200 metres. With Charles Hussey replacing the improving apprentice, Rayan Wilson, REX TIPOU will get maximum assistance from the saddle and should have no problems with the distance despite having not ventured beyond 1200 metres in his three starts to date.
REX TIPOU has good pace, should take command of the event and make every post a winning one.
