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Trial Lawyer set for verdict

Published:Saturday | January 15, 2011 | 12:00 AM
The grey HE'S A DREAMER, with Jevanne Erwin aboard, holds on to outlast the fast-finishing LATIN KING (right), ridden by Oseive Donnegal, to win the sixth race, a 3-y-o and up claiming event over eight furlongs, at Caymanas Park last Saturday. HE'S A DREAMER won by a neck at odds of 5-2. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The Wayne DaCosta-trained TRIAL LAWYER should make a triumphant return to Caymanas Park today in the seventh running of the 4-y-o and up restricted allowance IV race for the Howard Phillipps Memorial Trophy (non winners of three) over 1100 metres.

The race is run annually in memory of the late trainer, Howard Phillipps, who died tragically (shot) at Caymanas Park on Saturday, February 7, 2004, shortly after the day's first race.

Also on the card is the 3-y-o and up open allowance race over 1820 metres in which the 2009 Superstakes winner, HOMBRE, is expected to defy topweight of 57.0kg in a field of nine.

Trained by Noel Ennevor for owner/breeder Wessell Burnett, the six-year-old bay gelding, fresh from a recent win over 1600 metres on December 15, can expect stiff competition from the vastly improved American colt, BURST OF ENERGY, who steps up in class in a bid for the hat-trick, as well as the October 18 Governor's General Stakes' winner, HEART OF GOLD, stepping down from grade-one company, and also the recent runaway winner, JAYLEN.

A bold front-runner, HOMBRE is always at his best going two turns and while the DaCosta-trained HEART OF GOLD under champion jockey Omar Walker and Gary Subratie's BURST OF ENERGY are real dangers, HOMBRE will not go down easily. His class should make the difference.

First outing since May

Meanwhile, DaCosta and stable jockey Walker should team up to win the Howard Phillipps Memorial Trophy with TRIAL LAWYER, who is out for the first time since finishing sixth (prominent) to stable companion LIFEISJUSFORLIVING in the mile and quarter Governor's Cup (Lotto Classic) on May 24 last year when leading for 1200 metres.

Despite the lengthy absence, TRIAL LAWYER has been extensively prepared to meet this engagement, turning in bullet work after bullet work in recent weeks.

The four-year-old gelding by Crucial Trial out of Preach Preacher looks nicely in with only 52.0kg and should return with a bang.

He looks a cut above the present opposition and despite the good claims of recent winner INDY QUEEN and ONLY BEGOTTEN SUN, the choice has to be TRIAL LAWYER, who will more than likely make all in a bid for his third career win.

Other firm fancies on the card are UNLEASH THE POWER to complete the hat-trick in the second race over 1700 metres; BLENDER, who is definitely the pick of the weights with only 46.0kg in the fifth race over the straight for native-bred three-year-olds; as well as INVICTUS in the sixth and BUSY to go one better in the eighth race over 1200 metres for maiden four-year-olds and up (fillies and mares).