Bank on The Messenger

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The Pick-9 again proved elusive at Caymanas Park last Saturday and the carryover to tomorrow's race meet stands at $2.2 million.

This being the case, a payout in excess of $3 million looks a real possibility. The Pick-9 will encompass races two to 10, while the first Super-6 commences in the first race at 12:40 p.m.

The overlapping Super-6 gets under way in race five, a 4-y-o and up restricted allowance race (non-winners of two) to be contested by seven starters over the circular nine course.

The horses to note are YES WE WILL, FLYING MARGARET, SUPER CENTRE and KERRY DANCER, whose running behind LESTERAE at this level last Saturday is best overlooked. Conditioned by Jamaica's only female trainer, Margaret Parchment, KERRY DANCER, who will love the distance, had previously won easily in maiden company on January 8 over 1400 metres.

The consistent YES WE WILL and FLYING MARGARET should carry the bulk of the betting and one of them will more than likely win. When both horses last met on January 15 over this trip, FLYING MARGARET failed by a head to beat CRUISER, with YES WE WILL another length away in third. YES WE WILL is slightly better off at the weights, but FLYING MARGARET, with the stylish 2.0kg claiming apprentice Aaron Chatrie aboard, is tipped to confirm her superiority.

The sixth race over 1400 metres looks tailored for the lightly raced TECHNOMOTO, who was a beaten favourite on his recent debut behind MOHEGAN SON over the round five course on January 22, a race in which he suffered interference at the half mile.

Now better for the experience, the Anthony Nunes-trained TECHNOMOTO looks hard to oppose in the 13-horse field and can be used as a banker.

CARIDAD, now administered Lasix for the first time following that decent effort behind CONEYISLANDINVADER in the $4.25 million SVL Jamaica 2-Y-O Stakes on Boxing Day, gets the nod over NIPAL and the stretch-running BIG MANBOYU in the seventh race over 1100 metres for three-year-olds.

THE MESSENGER, who clearly needed the blinkers when losing narrowly to DESIGN STAR in the Mercury Sprint over the straight last Saturday, should make no mistake with the blinkers now fitted for the eighth race over 1100 metres, this for maiden three-year-olds.

Then, take VONALMIGHTY, with the trip now ideal, to win the ninth race over 1820 metres for overnight allowance horses in which nine have been declared. The five-year-old gelding from the stables of Richard Azan found 1200 metres too sharp behind out-of-class CLASSY PROSPECT last Saturday, but having finished a close second to HEART OF GOLD in the grade one Governor General's Stakes over 2000 metres last October, should win this from the stable-companions LITTLE WASP and CHADMAN.

Down-in-class LATIN KING, who went down fighting in both of his races this season, should win the 10th and final over 2000 metres for the Altamont V. Armond Memorial Cup, in which SINGININGINTHERAIN, THEDIVINEKING, RIFLEMAN and KOKOPELLI CAT are his main rivals in a 12-strong field.

SECOND SUPER-6 FANCIES

(5) FLYING MARGARET/YES WE WILL

(6) TECHNOMOTO

(7) CARIDAD/NIPAL/BIG MAN BOYU

(8) THE MESSENGER

(9) VONALMIGHTY/LITTLE WASP

(10) LATIN KING/SINIGINGINTHERAIN