Sat | Jul 4, 2026

Rajput for CTL series finale

Published:Wednesday | June 30, 2010 | 12:00 AM
RUNNING LOOSE, the first of two winners for apprentice Richard Cole, sprints clear of GUAYN YU (left), with Doushane Gordon aboard, and PATARA (partly hidden), the mount of Aaron Chatrie, to win the Valbert Marlowe Memorial Cup for 4-y-o & Up, non-winners of four, over 1800 metres, at Caymanas Park on Saturday. She won at odds of 7-2. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The curtain comes down on the Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) Claiming series No.1 at Caymanas Park today, with seven declared for the 1500-metre race.

Lucrative cash incentives will be paid to the top owner, trainer, jockey and groom in the series based on points accumulated during the six races (one per month) run over varied distances for horses in the claiming group $250,000 and less.

Owner Allistair Sherman, trainer Barry Dawes and groom Cecil Williams, all with 65 points, are the respective leaders going into today's final race, while apprentice Aaron Chatrie leads the jockeys' category with 50 points.

The second series begins in late July and will run until December.

Of the seven horses declared for the CTL Series race, it is interesting to note that all have won races in recent months, including the very fit MISS ROSE, who seeks a hat-trick of wins; and RUN SMILE RUN, who romped the Dr David 'Jack' Radix Memorial Cup over 1820 metres on a $180,000 tag last Wednesday.

Rich form present

Although there is rich form present on paper, the race will more than likely come down to a straight fight between old rivals RAJPUT and DESIGNED FOR LUCK, both of whom are basically better than this level when fully fit.

When both horses last met over 1400 metres on June 2, RAJPUT won by 2 1/2 lengths from LATIN KING, with the then favourite, DESIGNED FOR LUCK, managing only fourth, six lengths adrift.

However, in an earlier meeting between the two on March 6, DESIGNED FOR LUCK made all over 1400 metres, beating RAJPUT by a neck in a driving finish.

With both holding a victory over each other, it should go down to the wire.

Preference, however, is for RAJPUT, who came back with a good effort in defeat a week ago when finishing a close third to the front-running CLASSY COMPANY and NATURAL HEART over today's trip.

The eight-year-old gelding from the stables of Edward Walker ran on a $325,000 claiming tag then and now down to $250,000, and nicely in with 52.0kg, gets the nod over the Eddie Hamilton-trained DESIGNED FOR LUCK. Apprentice Cavel Brown has the ride.

Nine-race programme

Also on the nine-race programme is the restricted allowance V (non-winners of two) for the Joshua Morrison Memorial Cup, again over 1500 metres, in which seven have been declared.

Included in the line-up is TOP MAN, who won narrowly over the distance in maiden company on Saturday and bids for a quick double.

On the strength of his strong second to QUIET KNIGHT over 1600 metres on Saturday, GENERAL CURLIN, with Richie Mitchell again in the saddle, is tipped to go one better.

I also like CLASSY PROSPECT to repeat in the first race; RAISE A RUCKUS, as a Pick-9 banker in the fourth; WARRIOR, QUEEN in the sixth; and ROYAL BLAST, with Walker astride to catch back-to-form NATURAL DESIRE in the eighth race over 1820 metres.