Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
LIKKLE BIT, one of four winners for champion jockey Omar Walker, is hard driven to stave off the fast-finishing PRIME MINISTER (Dane Nelson) in the the seventh race over 1500 metres for overnight allowance horses at Cayamanas Park, last Saturday. Trained by Wayne DaCosta, LIKKLE BIT was the 8-5 favourite in a field of 10. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Following a lull in the number of trophy races at Caymanas Park recently, today's mid-week programme offers as many as three.
The 11-race programme, which kicks off at 12:30 p.m., features the $390,000-$340,000 claiming race for the Oswald 'Ossie' Steele Memorial Cup over 1200 metres, to be contested by eight starters, the Keeling Memorial Cup over 1100 metres for native bred two-year-olds, and Race No. 2 in the second CTL Claiming Series ($220,000 and less) over 1400 metres.
The Philip Feanny-trained WESTERN REPORT is one of five youngsters declared for the Keeling Memorial and following his facile victory in the Lester Spaulding Cup over 600 metres straight on July 12, seems poised to repeat, despite the presence of MISS RUTH, who beat him on her debut over the straight (600m) on June 14.
Both have worked well in preparation for today's rematch, but WESTERN REPORT looked a different horse under two-time champion jockey Brian Harding on the last occasion and should turn the tables on the filly, MISS RUTH.
HOLDS KEY
The speedy SEA DA BREEZE holds the key to the Ossie Steele Memorial Cup, having lowered her sights to vie for this trophy.
Following her easy win over 1300 metres on June 25, the American six-year-old mare was on the receiving end in her next two starts, but she was not beaten far in either race by better horses than the ones she faces today.
Tips on the race
Now dropped in class and connections opting for former champion jockey Shane Ellis, SEA DA BREEZE is tipped to resume winning ways. She can, however, expect stiff opposition from the free-running MELINDAGATA, under champion jockey Omar Walker, and recent winner WE WILL SEE, who surprisingly finished down the track behind JET SKI D'OR in his subsequent race, last Saturday.
While MELINDAGATA is coming to run and WE WILL SEE could rebound from that poor effort, SEA DA BREEZE, from the stables of Ryan Darby, looks best equipped to take home this trophy.
Twelve have been declared for the closing CTL Claiming Series and among the leading lights are the recent winners SOUND OF SPEED and DUST ROCK, along with BABY RENEE, SAMBA DANCER, MEDICAL ACCOUNT and PURE JUSTICE, all fit animals.
The one that catches my fancy is the Tensang Chung-trained SOUND OF SPEED, who won impressively over 1600 metres on August 9, covering the distance in the fairly good time of 1:42.4 with Walker astride.
The four-year-old filly is still in good nick and, coming from a favourable outside draw, should prove too strong for BABY RENEE, MEDICAL ACCOUNT and SAMBA DANCER up the lane.
Other firm fancies on the card are SWEETSUGARDUMPLIN to lead home THAT'S MY MARKET in the third race over the straight for maidens; SPACEMAN in the fourth, UNCLE D & ME to repeat in the sixth, ALLEGRO to go one better in the seventh and consistent HONEY BUNNY to upstage MINISTEROFJUSTICE and PASS LINE in the ninth over 1100 metres.
