Orville Clarke, Freelance Reporter
LATIN KING (No. 2), ridden by apprentice Jason Simpson, breaks smartly from the gates en route to victory in the eighth race for the Tewfic Ziadie Memorial Cup over the circular nine course at Caymanas Park last Saturday. Installed a 4-5 favourite in a field of six, LATIN KING is owned by O'Shaun Connection and trained by Ryan Darby. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Today's 12-race programme at Caymanas Park features the annual renewal of the 3-y-o and up open allowance race for the Zaleucus Trophy over 1800 metres.
Also on the card is the restricted allowance V (non winners of three) for the Robert Wedderburn Trophy over 1200 metres in honour of the 2007 champion groom.
Among the nine starters for the Zaleucus Trophy are the 2006 Governor's Cup and St Leger winner ALLIEDFORCE who was installed a 3-5 favourite for this race a year ago, but finished a poor fifth to subsequent Super-stakes winner MAJOR MAYER.
With champion jockey Omar Walker riding for veteran trainer Noel Ennevor, ALLIEDFORCE will again be strongly fancied and although the five-year-old son of Market Rally usually reserves his best for two-turn races, he can supplement his January 19 win over 1600 metres.
He can expect stiff opposition from FIRST IN THE SAND, IVAN THE TERRIBLE and GOOD COMPANY who finished a close third in the Superstakes last November.
Came out best
When all three last met in the Eros Trophy grade one feature over 1400 metres on February 23, this won by 11-1 shot RAMPAGE, the Gary Subratie-trained FIRST IN THE SAND came out best. She stayed on to finish five lengths third in what was a fast-run race (1:24.3), while GOOD COMPANY was 9-3/4 lengths fifth and IVAN THE TERRIBLE, who was highly fancied at 5-2, was 10 lengths sixth, FIRST IN THE SAND has not only worked well in preparation for this race, galloping six furlongs in 1:13.2 last Sunday morning, but will enjoy the longer distance as well. Now dropped in class to vie for this trophy, she gets the nod over ALLIEDFORCE and GOOD COMPANY. Leading jockey Shane Ellis has the ride and that's another plus in her favour.
Meanwhile, the most interesting race on the programme must surely be the seventh over 1400 metres, this featuring a big clash between two exceptional three-year-old colts, THE REAL STREAM (Omar Walker up) and SUPER DAVE (Winston Griffiths), who is unbeaten in three starts.
Seasonal debut
The Wayne DaCosta-trained THE REAL STREAM makes his seasonal debut after winning three of his four races last season to cap the Champion 2-Y-O award.
SUPER DAVE, who won easily over 1200 metres on his February 9 seasonal debut, will no doubt be gunning to make all. With both working exceptionally well in preparation for the race, it could end up in a sizzling speed duel between the two and only the strong will survive. Philip Feanny's SUPER DAVE is preferred in the six-strong field, but only just.
Other firm fancies on the card are Feanny's LIMA'S BIGBADBOY (working well) in the first race, BONNIE'S VICTORY in the third, the speedy TOKEN to stave off LAWS OF LUVVE and SAMBA DANCER in the Robert Wedderburn Trophy, the 3-y-o debutante MR. BLAIR in the eighth and REX TIPOU over FIRE D TRAINER and STRONG DELIVERY in the ninth.
