Sea Devil to rule War Zone Sprint

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The lightly raced but progressive three-year-old filly, SEA DEVIL, should tick off her fourth consecutive victory at Caymanas Park today when she faces seven opponents in the valuable War Zone Sprint Trophy over 1100 metres.

The Sprint, run in honour of the 1996 Horse of the Year and Triple Crown winner, who holds the record of 12 consecutive wins, is one of three trophy races on the nine-race programme.

Also on the programme are the round five Stewards' Cup for maiden and untried two-year olds (colts and geldings) in which 11 starters have been declared, plus the $550,000-$500,000 claiming race for the Cecil C. Charlton Trophy over 1300 metres, to be contested by six starters.

The field for the Cecil Charlton Trophy includes ante-post favourite, TOBAGO, who bids for his fourth-consecutive win.

Claimed out of his last race on August 14 by trainer Welsh Soutar, the nine-year-old gelding won the Emancipation Day Trophy over this trip on August 2 in the fairly good time of 1:19.3, ahead of overnight allowance campaigner GAMBOA.

Despite asked to carry topweight of 57.0kg under leading all-time jockey, Winston Griffiths, TOBAGO should prove too strong for GRACE MARIE and COLEMAN'S ROCK late in the race.

Turning to the main feature, it is hard to oppose SEA DEVIL from the in-form camp of trainer Anthony Nunes.

Impressive victory

Owned by Elias Haloute, the chestnut filly by Law Of The Sea out of Silvery Diablo completed a hat-trick of wins from four career starts, with an impressive victory over the previously unbeaten American colt, SIR VON, in a fast-run straight-five race (58.1) on September 4.

Her recent win is testimony that SEA DEVIL has overcome her problems, which resulted in her being lightly raced and although facing some pretty useful three-year-olds in the stable-companions MOMENT OF HOPE and THE KING AND I, HERROYALHIGHNESS and the speedy MISS LEE, she ought to be followed.

Former champion Shane Ellis again rides the speedy SEA DEVIL (working well) from the convenient mark of 55.0kg.

Ellis and Nunes should also team up to win the Stewards' Cup sprint with the improving INVICTUS, this after chasing home the speedy SHE SELL OFF over the distance on his recent debut.

There was a lot to like about the manner in which INVICTUS came home strongly and, although there is a lot of buzz surrounding the well-forward debutant, UNCLE KEN, from the stables of Gary Subratie, INVICTUS gets the nod.

I also like JUST A CAT to make all in the first race; ALLORA to catch GUAN YU in the fifth; down-in-class THREE QUEENS in the sixth; and SHAWN'S GIRL to catch recent course winner, EMERGENCE, in the closing straight- five race.