Walker has a Heart of Gold

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Nine horses from the open allowance group, including last year's winner HOMBRE, are slated to contest the annual renewal of the Nigel B. Nunes Memorial Trophy over 1820 metres, feature event at Caymanas Park today.

HOMBRE, who also won the Superstakes last November, is up against the 2008 Superstakes winner AD INFINITUM - his arch-rival - as well as 2007 Derby winner THE BOMBER, SHANGHAI PASS, who won the grade one Prime Minister's Stakes over 2000 metres on August 6 (Independence Day) and, of course, the vastly improved five-year-old mare HEART OF GOLD, who has shown a particular liking for the distance, having won her last two races over same.

The winner is almost sure to come from the above-mentioned group, with HOMBRE, AD INFINITUM and SHANGHAI PASS stepping down from grade one company to vie for this trophy.

It would be most fitting to see in-form trainer Anthony Nunes saddling the winner of this race, he being the son of the late trainer Nigel Nunes, in whose memory the race is run annually. 'Baba' Nunes saddles both MACHISMO and the highly fancied AD INFINITUM, who finished second to a then lightly weighted HOMBRE in this race last year.

The Noel Ennevor-trained HOMBRE has much in his favour, following his thrilling victory over the distance in a blanket finish from THE GUV, subsequent Triple Crown winner MARK MY WORD and HEART OF GOLD over the the distance on May 22.

Although out for the first time since, HOMBRE, a bold front runner, has looked sharp in his preparation and is not too high in the scales with 56.0kg to repeat under his Superstakes-winning jockey Andre Martin.

Also boosting the form of that May 22 contest was HEART OF GOLD, who finished less than a length away fourth under an indifferent ride from Wesley Henry.

Easy win

From the powerful stables of champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, HEART OF GOLD came back to win easily over the distance in overnight company on July 10, and has trained well in preparation for today's encounter, galloping seven furlongs in a brisk 1:27.4 at exercise on Sunday morning.

The five-year-old mare by Natural Selection out of Wild Heart has notched three of her six wins over the circular nine course, and now up in class with a light impost, looks best equipped to pull it off in the strong hands of champion jockey Omar Walker.

HEART OF GOLD has the capacity to race in out touch of the expected leaders HOMBRE, SHANGHAI PASS and THE BOMBER, before starting her winning run approaching the final bend. She has HOMBRE and AD INFINITUM to beat.

I also like the recent winner FLAGAMAN to repeat in the second, SLIGOVILLE in the fourth, down-in-class THE GREYT DOCTOR in the fifth, TRADITIONAL PRINCE in the sixth and MY LADY in the eighth.