Start with Cruiser

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

With the fancied horses dominating the card at Caymanas Park on last Saturday's Superday programme, the Pick-9 proved easy pickings for many turfites.

Twenty-three punters with nine of nine each received $43,478.50 23. Spare a thought for a small punter who bought a Pick-9 for only $80 and had the first eight winners. However, he banked odds-on favourite LEGAL LADY in the 11th and final race and the filly weakened badly after leading early into the straight to finish seventh - behind the 2-1 winner TREND SETTER, who provided topline trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes with his 500th career win.

The Pick-9 will embrace all nine races on the card, while the first Super-6 will be conducted from race two to seven, and the overlapping Super-6 from four to nine.

We look at the second Super-6 which gets under way with a restricted allowance race for three-year-olds (non-winners of two) to be contested by eight starters over 1800 metres.

After looking at the pros and cons, I am convinced that the race will come down to a straight fight between OCHUN and CRUISER, to be ridden by in-form Superstakes winning jockey Dick Cardenas and female apprentice Georgina Sergeon, respectively.

Both will be running on strongly from off the pace, but I am expecting the Noel Ennevor-trained CRUISER to get first run and stave off OCHUN in a driving finish.

A large field of 13 horses from the $180,000 claiming group will face the starter in the fifth race over 1600 metres, and with several having good claims, I would implore punters to approach this race with caution.

Line-up

Included in the line-up are the recent winners MISS ATLANTIC STAR, ROLL THE DICE and EARTHWINDANDFIRE, while others such as DUST ROCK (went close last Saturday), MR. BIGSHOT, BUCK THE MINISTER MISS ROSE and, of course, SAMBA DANCER, are all capable of winning on their best form. Preference is for Walker's mount ROLL THE DICE, who won easily over this trip on October 23 in the fairly good time of 1:43.3 for this level. True, she could only manage seventh (slowly away) to out-of-class LATIN KING over 1400 metres on a $230,000 tag on Friday, November 12, but now back among her peers and Walker persevering with the ride, the hint should be taken.

Briefly, the well-forward debutant THE MESSENGER, from the stables of Richard Azan, is tipped to make a winning debut in the sixth race over 1100 metres for maiden two-year-olds. The bay colt by Saint Appeal out of Sophisticated Mama has looked real sharp at exercise and should be used as a banker with Cardenas astride.

I also like down-in-class DANCING SAM to lead home MARK TO MARKET in the seventh race over the straight, following his close third to FULL SPECTRUM at 1100 metres last Saturday. And don't oppose the progressive Canadian filly PRICELESS BEAUTY in the eighth race for the United Racehorse Trainers' Association Trophy, following her fast-time runaway victory over 1600m on November 6, while DAYTON'S LAW holds the key to the closing race for maiden three-year-olds over 1100 metres.

SUPER-6 FANCIES

(4) CRUISER/OCHUN

(5) ROLL THE DICE/EARTHWINDANDFIRE

(6) THE MESSENGER

(7) DANCING SAM/MARK TO MARKET

(8) PRICELESS BEAUTY

(9) DAYTON'S LAW/FEMME DOREE