Sir Von set for winning return

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Today marks Jockeys' Guild Day at Caymanas Park with the George HoSang Trophy, the principal feature on the nine-race programme, run in honour of the legendary jockey, who won four consecutive championships in the early '70s.

The overnight allowance contest over the straight five course has attracted 11 starters, including leading lights SIR VON, stable companion FLUFFY, DANCE SO SWEET, SUPER DAVE and ANTIOCH.

Champion trainer Wayne DaCosta holds a very strong hand with his two American-bred horses, SIR VON and FLUFFY, both of whom have looked razor sharp at exercise in preparation for the race, particularly SIR VON, who galloped five furlongs from the gates in a brisk 59.0 on March 14, the first four in 45.4.

With champion and stable jockey Omar Walker electing to ride the highly thought of SIR VON, this lightly raced four-year-old bay colt by Even The Score out of Premier Gray will not go down easily, despite racing for the first time since October of last year.

SIR VON, who has won three of his four races to date, left us on a winning note over five months ago with a fast-time victory over 1200 metres in restricted company.

Coming back trained to the minute with only 53.0kg, he should be able to upstage stable companion FLUFFY (Georgina Sergeon up), an American four-year-old filly who was a beaten favourite when sprinting on January 30.

She will definitely report sharper today and, over this galloping course, looks the principal danger to the speedy SIR VON.

Others such as the fleet-footed SUPER DAVE, who chased home LIFEISJUSFORLIVING over the course behind a fast-time on February 26, along with ANTIOCH and the up-in-class American filly DANCE SO SWEET, are sure to prove competitive in a race such as this. But they should be hard pressed late in the race to separate SIR VON and FLUFFY, with the colt getting the vote over the filly.

Contested

The card will also facilitate two other trophy races - the 4-y-o and up maiden condition race over the straight for the Al Gopie Memorial Cup, to be contested by the maximum 16 starters; and the Jockeys' Guild of Jamaica Trophy over 1400 metres (non-winners of two), in which 13 starters have been declared.

WHITE STAR, who recently changed stables and has looked improved (working well) under the care of her new trainer, Paul 'Sleeper' Charlton, gets the nod over SPLITTING IMAGE and BLAME THE TRAINER in the Al Gopie Memorial Cup.

DIVINITY, who has been knocking at the door in recent races - having failed by a head to stave off FLYING MARGARET over 1500 metres on March 12 - is tipped to go one better in the Jockeys' Guild Trophy.

I also like DA BOOM to repeat in the first race, SEARCHING FOR GOLD in the second and MOJITO JAM in the nightpan.