Celebrate with a Quiet Knight

Ainsley Walters, Gleaner Writer

A NEW year kicks off at Caymanas Park on Saturday with a feast of racing, 11 races including three trophy events - the CTL Fan Appreciation Day 11-furlong spectacle, the New Year's Day 1300-metre sprint and the circular-nine McKay Security and Consultants co-feature, a $1 million race for $180,000 claimers.

Gary Subratie, who finished fourth in the 2010 trainers' standings with 29 winners, should continue his rich form with American-bred BURST OF ENERGY in the CTL Fan Appreciation Day Trophy.

Dwight Chen's J. R'S DREAM ran a big race for second behind American-bred MY BREDREN at 1400 metres on December 4 and should land the New Year's Day Trophy going a half-furlong shorter.

Champion jockey Omar Walker won't be left out of New Year's Day celebrations and looks set to boot home Ian Parsard's QUIET KNIGHT in the McKay Security million-dollar 'derby' for claimers at the bottom of the barrel.

Formerly trained by Philip Feanny, BURST OF ENERGY's form turned around dramatically in a matter of two weeks after being bought privately by Subratie for owner Arthur Foreman.

The American-bred four-year-old colt ran mainly in sprint races under Feanny's care, losing by a half length at 1200 metres in a driving finish to WHEEL N DEAL on December 4 before changing stables.

Exactly two weeks later, Subratie stretched BURST OF ENERGY out to a mile and fitted him with a figure-eight. It was a revelation as the big bay colt sat off the pace down the backstretch and came forward at the top of the lane before sprinting off to win by seven lengths in a fast 1:39.0.

BURST OF ENERGY rated extremely well in that victory and need only reproduce a similar effort to outpace and outstay his nine rivals in the 11-furlong Fan Appreciation Day Trophy.

The way he powered home at a mile suggested he should have no problem getting the distance.

J. R'S DREAM

Another horse who appears to have appreciated being stretched out in his last race was J. R'S DREAM, who ran far better than the spotters for the form book indicated when beaten by MY BREDREN at 1400 metres on December 4.

In fact, J. R'S DREAM came off the bend third, not fifth, before zipping past MY LADY into second place and almost pulled level with MY BREDREN a furlong out, not two and a half lengths behind, before the American-bred found extra and pulled off close home.

Trained by Dwight Chen, J. R'S DREAM had finished rapidly at 1200 metres to lose his previous race by a length and three-quarter to CITY TRAIN.

Both runs showed Chen that J. R'S DREAM is more comfortable sitting off the pace. In his last race, he left HERROYALHIGHNESS standing when he quickened away from her at the top of the lane after both made their moves leaving the three.

QUIET KNIGHT

CTL's racing office and sponsor McKay Security and Consultants will have to rethink the distance of its million-dollar race. The maximum starters for the circular-nine trip, 1820 metres, or nine furlongs and 25 yards, is 12, due to the proximity of the starting gate to the clubhouse turn.

The race attracted 20 entries, some of whom were recent impressive winners such as EARTHWINDANDFIRE and THE SMOKER. Both and six others were left out, having not made the first 12 entries.

Possibly nine or 10 furlongs would be a better bet for the sponsor and CTL for this event, which will always attract a big line-up.

Parsard's QUIET KNIGHT , who won by 10 lengths at the level on October 18, clocking 1:41.1 for a mile, won't be beaten with Walker in the irons.

Claimed out of that event by Dennis Lee, QUIET KNIGHT went up in class to $325,000 claiming where he led for four furlongs and was still second turning for home behind CLASSY COMPANY at a mile in an event won by long-shot RULE BY SECRECY.