Thu | Jul 16, 2026

Guan Yu looks good in race eight

Published:Friday | December 10, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Pause
The grey SPONGY SPONGY, running at odds of 6-1, wins the sixth race over the straight-five course at Caymanas Park on Wednesday to give second-generation jockey Tadious Simpson, son of five-time champion jockey Trevor Simpson, his first winner locally. SPONGY SPONGY also provided trainer Welsh Soutar with his 100th career win. - Photos by Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Andrew Reid (second right), general manager of Pepsi-Cola Jamaica Bottling Company, presents the Pepsi Gold Cup to Cynthia Gordon, representing her husband Raphael Gordon, whose 6-y-o gelding won the 39th running of the Pepsi Gold Cup at Caymanas Park last Saturday. Looking on is George McCulloch, executive manager, Pepsi.
1
2

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The Pick-9 had no takers at Caymanas Park on Wednesday and the carryover to tomorrow's meet stands at $1.49 million.

This will embrace races two to 10 on the well-supported programme, while the first Super-6 will be conducted from race one to six, and the overlapping Super-6 from race five to 10.

NO SMOKING at 9-1 in the fourth race, and SPONGY SPONGY at 6-1 in the sixth prevented Pick-9 players from capitalising.

We look at the second Super-6 which gets under way with a 2-y-o maiden condition race for the Richard Ashenheim Memorial Cup over 1500 metres, to be contested by 10 starters.

Indications are it will come down to a three-cornered tussle involving POWERED BY WASSY, REGAL RUN and ACTUS REUS (Dane Nelson up) who has been admini-stered Lasix for the first time and should step up on that third-place finish to WINCHESTER in a recent straight-five race.

One to watch

The lightly raced REGAL RUN (Paul Francis up) has looked improved at exercise in preparation for this trophy and should run well. However, the one to beat must surely be the Richard Azan-trained POWERED BY WASSY, who caught the eye when finishing a close fourth to LUSCIOUS in the Abbie Grannum Memorial Cup over 1400 metres on November 12.

The son of Outrigger has worked well since, and with Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas riding in such tremendous form, POWERED BY WASSY gets the nod over REGAL RUN.

Next on the programme is a $180,000 claiming race to be contested by the maximum 16 starters over 1200 metres. The horses to note in what looks a tough race are DIXIE CHICK, RUN SMILE RUN, THE SMOKER, DUST ROCK and SON OF INDIA.

I would advise punters to approach this race with caution, but DUST ROCK seems to have settled down to her racing once again after finishing a close second to OUR DEELITE over 1100 metres on November 12 and third to out-of-class EARTHWINDANDFIRE over 1600 metres on November 20. Visiting American jockey Tony Maragh rode her on both occasions, and having stuck with the ride, DUST ROCK is preferred to DIXIE CHICK, SON OF INDIA and THE SMOKER.

Competitive field

Briefly, BREDDA BREDDA (working well), who showed promise on his recent debut behind SMOKING MAN, gets the nod over JELANI in the seventh race over the round-five course for maiden two-year-olds, while GUAN YU, who was a fast-finishing second to OASIS in a fast-run 1500-metre race recently, should go one better at the expense of recent winner MOJITA JAM and JUNGLE QUEEN in the eighth race over 1600 metres for the Paul Newman Memorial Trophy. Champion jockey Omar Walker again has the leg over GUAN YU in a competitive-looking field of 14.

The last two races should be won by WILLINSTON (knocking at the door) and HACKLETON. Their respective dangers are the free-running DIVINITY and PASSA PASSA.

SECOND SUPER-6

(5) POWERED BY WASSY/REGAL RUN

(6) DUST ROCK/DIXIE CHICK

(7) BREDDA PAPA/JELANI

(8) GUAN YU/MOJITA JAM

(9) WILLINSTON

(10) HACKLETON/PASSA PASSA