Pick-9 poised to go past $15m

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The rescheduled Lotto Classic (Governor's Cup) race meet is on at Caymanas Park tomorrow with seven starters from the original meet on Labour Day now declared late non-starters.

Most notable is highly fancied COLONEL WALES, horse No. 1 in the $3.3 million Lotto Classic over 2000 metres, the 11th and penultimate race on the 12-race programme.

Other late scratches are horse No. 6 MEDSTAR in the first race, horse No. 4 EXPLOSIVE REPORT in the second, horse No. 1 SPACESAVER along with horse No. 8 THE SMOKER (not eligible) in the fifth, horse No. 4 GO FLINT GO in the 10th, COLONEL WALES and horse No. 5 MY SPACE in the closing race over 1400 metres.

Lotto classic

Significantly, with the Pick-9 eluding punters for a ninth consecutive raceday last Saturday, the carryover going into tomorrow's meet stands at a whopping $11.9 million, thanks to upsets by PRIVILEGE at 22-1 and LIGHT MY FIRE at 9-1. With heavy betting anticipated, a Pick-9 payout in excess of $15 million looks a real possibility.

The Pick-9 will embrace races four to 12 on the Supreme Ventures-sponsored programme, while the 12-race programme will facilitate two Super-6s. Post time for the first race is now 11 a.m. and not 12 noon as originally scheduled, while the Lotto Classic will be run as the 11th race at approximately 4:25 p.m.

We take a brief look at the Pick-9 which gets under way from the fourth, the 'Lotto Millionaire Sprint' over the straight-five course to be contested by 12 starters, including top contenders SKIPAWAY PRINCE and CASHLEY.

Preference is for CASHLEY, who was not disgraced when finishing fourth to REGGAE PRINCESS over 1200 metres on May 15, her first outing in three months. The 4-y-o filly from the stables of Arnold Rambally raced prominently to the last furlong, and now eased in the weights (49.0kg) and top apprentice Doushane Gordon up, she will prove hard to beat.

Briefly, PAT ON CALL (Erwin up) now pretty light, gets the nod over the down-in-class SAMBA DANCER and RUN SMILE RUN in the fifth race, Lotto Champion-ship Trophy over 1200 metres ($180,000 claiming) to be contested by 12 starters.

Other firm fancies are ROMAN HOLIDAY (Aaron Chatrie up) to go one better in the sixth over 1400 metres, recent winner ROMEZ (banker) to repeat in the Labour Day Trophy over 1200 metres (claiming $550,000-$500,000), CLASSICAL BABE (ready) to lead home WARRIOR QUEEN and DAYTON'S LAW in the eighth; HONEYOFALADY to catch old rival SAINT CECELIA once again in the ninth, the $3.3 million Lotto Sprint Trophy over 1100 metres (grade one) to be contested by six starters, the speedy MISS LEE in the 10th, JUNIOR MINISTER (too light) over the class horse LIFEISJUSFORLIVING and HEART OF A CHAMPION (vastly improved) in the Lotto Classic and the progressive American filly RONRON as a banker in the 12th and final (overnight allowance) over 1400 metres.

PICK-9 FANCIES

(4) CASHLEY/SKIPAWAY PRINCE

(5) PAT ON CALL/RUN SMILE RUN

(6) ROMAN HOLIDAY

(7) ROMEZ

(8) CLASSICAL BABE/WARRIOR QUEEN

(9) HONEYOFALADY

(10) MISS LEE/HERROYALHIGHNESS

(11) JUNIOR MINISTER/LIFEISJUSFORLIVING

(12) RONRON