Racing back on track

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Wednesday's postponed race meet is on at Caymanas Park today. The 10-race programme features race No. 3 in the CTL Claiming Series over 1300 metres and the tough-looking open allowance race over 1200 metres to be contested by 11 starters. Post time is 12:45 p.m.

Due to the inclement weather which affected the island earlier this week, CTL took a decision to reschedule the meet.

When contacted yesterday, the company's acting CEO, Chris Armond, said: "The track is fine and with the patch of bad weather expected to ease, we are looking forward to the support of punters as the card is very attractive".

On Wednesday, CTL's racing secretary Denzil Miller Jr disclosed that although the track was OK and there was no flooding of the stable area, the meet was rescheduled due to the fact that more than half of the 63 off-track betting parlours islandwide were unable to open. The disruption was caused by the inclement weather which affected every parish.

Meanwhile, seven starters have been declared for the CTL second series, including the hot ante-post favourite BACK AT YOU, who bids for her second win in the current series.Trained by Deon Facey, the seven-year-old mare beat subsequent winner THREE QUEENS quite easily over 1500 metres in Race No.2 of the series on August 25, and subsequently ventured up in class (to $350,000) where she was soundly beaten by LA'S DANCER over 1400 metres in the Reca Trophy.

Now back to her happy hunting ground and the opposition by no means strong, BACK AT YOU, with Richie Mitchell again in the saddle, should lead home the recent winner MR. BIGSHOT and the front-running VENICE MELLESA.

A much tougher race is undoubtedly the open allowance sprint, which should be closely contested every inch of the way.

Speed is strongly represented in the recent winner, THE CHIEF, MR. SKILL, BRASH & SASSY and to a lesser extent SHANGHAI PASS. This being the case, they could run themselves into the round, paving the way for one of the genuine closers - MINISTEROFJUSTICE, MACHISMO, SKITTLE QUEEN, THE GUARDIAN or HAIL THE GENIUS.

Of the speedsters, the consistent BRASH & SASSY looks tempting at the weights, being only 47.0kg with competent claiming apprentice Conrad Ellis aboard.

She, more than any of the speedsters, could slip the field and hold on. But the likes of MINISTEROFJUSTICE, MACHISMO, HAIL THE GENIUS and SKITTLE QUEEN will be closing hand over fist and one of these could get up in time.

MACHISMO, to be ridden by the season's top apprentice, Aaron Chatrie, for in-form trainer Anthony Nunes, gets the nod from the convenient mark of 51.0kg, but only just from MINISTEROFJUSTICE, who is not too heavy with 55.0kg (Dane Nelson up) to fight it out.

I also like SINGINGINTHERAIN to stave off old rival LATIN KING in the third race, MARVELOUS LADY in the 5th, HE'S A DREAMER in the 6th, LIL' TIGER in the 8th and CLASSICAL BABE in the closing - Alex's Imports 'Dig Out' Handicap (No. 31 in the series) over the straight five course.