Richard Azan's Vonalmighty primed for success

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The Richard Azan-trained VONALMIGHTY is tipped to win the 3-y-o and up overnight allowance feature for the Calvin O'Sullivan Memorial Cup over 1820 metres at Caymanas Park today following his near miss last time out.

VONALMIGHTY signalled his return to form on March 2 when failing by half a length to catch NEW KINGSTON over 1700 metres, and with champion jockey Omar Walker riding him from the convenient mark of 54kg, should make no mistake.

VONALMIGHTY is pitted against such worthy opponents as UNDAUNTED, PRIME MINISTER, COUGWAY and the four-year-old fillies EXCELLENCE and REGAL SENSATION in a 12-strong field. But he has beaten better in the not-too-distant past.

Since winning easily at this level over 1600 metres in September of last year, the son of Western Classic - Lunar Explosion - is yet to revisit the winners' enclosure. Azan, however, has taken him to task at exercise in preparation for this trophy, and his final rattle should prove hard to withstand in the strong hands of the champion jockey.

Still, VONALMIGHTY can ill afford to let the pace leave him at the half mile, as others such as the Wayne DaCosta-trained filly EXCELLENCE, REGAL SENSATION from the Anthony 'Baba' Nunes stables; Patrick Lynch's PRIME MINISTER, who enjoys two-turn races; and not least. the very fit UNDAUNTED from the Lazel Khwalsingh stables, should ensure VONALMIGHTY works up a sweat.

PRIME MINISTER, with Dane Nelson aboard, has been stepped up at exercise in preparation for this trophy and could make it close. But a bigger danger to my selection must be UNDAUNTED, who was an upset winner when sprinting on February 5 and subsequently ran two useful races over longer distances, finishing 1¹/² lengths third to NEW KINGSTON on March 2. That was only a length behind the runner-up VONALMIGHTY.

So it's VONALMIGHTY to beat UNDAUNTED and PRIME MINISTER.

Also on the well-supported nine-race programme is the annual renewal of the Roderick 'Pilot' Francis Memorial Trophy (claiming $180,000) over 1200 metres to be contested by 13 starters.

fit to figure

Horses such as SALUTE TO MOM, BALLROOM DANCER, ROJO and PROGRESSIVE are basically better than this level when right, and the winner could well emerge from this quartet, even though others such as MR BUTCHER, BUNKER DUST, FIRST EDITION and Walker's mount ROLL THE DICE are fit enough to figure.

So it promises to be a highly competitive race. Recent winner BALLROOM DANCER will more than likely set off in front and will have to be caught. However, the pick at the weights with a mere 51kg must be SALUTE TO MOM (Aaron Chatrie up), who last October won over this trip in much better company.

I also like SIR JAADU BABA in the first race, SHE'S SPECTACULAR in the second, TREND SETTER in the fifth and CHADMAN to repeat in the sixth.