Flagaman a safe banker

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

With the Pick-9 proving elusive once again on Wednesday, the carryover to tomorrow's race meet at Caymanas Park stands at $3.7 million.

This should ensure a payout in excess of $5 million, as the Pick-9 will be conducted on races three to 11. The Super-6, meanwhile, starts anew with the guaranteed minimum of $750,000, the popular exotic bet having been caught by 39 punters, each receiving $45,664.50.

The Super-6 will embrace races six to 11, beginning with a five-year-old and up restricted allowance race over 1300 metres in which the sparingly raced FLAGAMAN (Shane Ellis up) will prove hard to beat.

The five-year-old gelding from the stables of Anthony 'Baba' Nunes has raced only three times since January of last year, and although figuring prominently in all those races, the best he achieved was third, twice.

Last time out on June 2, FLAGAMAN was installed a 3-5 favourite to win over the straight-five course, but had to settle for third to upset winner DOLLA WIN and FLORENCE, who renews rivalry today.

FLAGAMAN has looked much sharper at exercise in preparation for this race and, having beaten better in the not too distant past, gets the nod over ARIANA and FLORENCE.

Eight tough opponents

Run-on-sprinter RIGGED TO WIN faces eight tough opponents in the seventh race over 1200 metres, and with KING'S LAW and hat-trick seeker CLASSY COMPANY coming to ensure a strong pace, the Outrigger offspring could supplement her June 5 win over 1100 metres at this level.

On that occasion, she ran on strongly a furlong out to beat MAGDALA by 41/4 lengths and, given the additional 100 metres, should get up in time to nab the fleet-footed KING'S LAW and DANIELLE MY GIRL.

THE CHIEF, having finished a good second to out-of-class COMMANDER ZERO in a fast-run 1200-metre race on June 19, is tipped to go one better under Derby-winning Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas. His main dangers in the 12-strong field are the speedy DIABOLICAL KID and MACHISMO, who was just behind him on June 19.

Cardenas' mount, MERIT'S BRITE LITE, who has been knocking at the door in recent races, is preferred to WAIT AWHILE and SHE'S SO SWEET in the ninth race over the round five course for maiden three-year-olds, to be contested by 14 starters.

MERIT'S BRITE LITE was a fast-finishing second to the speedy MIRACLE RECOVERY over 1200 metres on June 19 and having worked well, should win from WAIT AWHILE.

The American horses FLUFFY and SHANGHAI PASS hold the key to the 10th race over 1600 metres for open allowance horses (feature race) and based on their May 12 meeting over 1300 metres, it should be real close.

Wayne DaCosta's FLUFFY led home the Gary Subratie-trained SHANGHAI PASS by 11/2 lengths on that occasion to make it four wins in a row and although 5.0kg worse off, is improving all the time and should confirm her superiority over the consistent SHANGHAI PASS.

The closing $180,000 claiming race should resolve itself into a straight fight between CHRISTMAS TREAT and BDELLIUM, both of whom are basically better than this level when fully sound.

SUPER-6 FANCIES

(6) FLAGAMAN

(7) RIGGED TO WIN/KING'S LAW

(8) THE CHIEF/DIABOLICAL KID

(9) MERIT'S BRITE LITE/ WAIT AWHILE

(10) FLUFFY/SHANGHAI PASS

(11) CHRISTMAS TREAT/BDELLIUM