St Cecelia to canter away with Lady Geeta Trophy

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Six horses have been declared for the annual renewal of the Lady Geeta Trophy grade one feature over 1200 metres, and from all indications, the reigning champion sprinter SAINT CECELIA will not be caught.

The classy 5-y-o mare from the stables of Spencer Chung has been allotted topweight of 60.5kg, but her connections have quite wisely opted for the improving 4.0kg claiming apprentice, Osive Donegal, in an effort to reduce the weight to 56.5kg.

She should not only start a firm favourite, but show rivals a clean pair of heels under these conditions. A notable absentee is the classy American filly RONRON, who went sore earlier this week and had to bypass the race.

Although beaten into second place by RONRON over the distance when making her seasonal debut on February 19, SAINT CECELIA has been burning up the track at exercise in preparation for this race and none will report fitter.

She galloped five furlongs in a brisk 59.1 on Monday morning and, given her terrific speed, is tipped to go all the way with the lightest impost she has carried in a handicap race since the 2010 renewal of this race last April.

SAINT CECELIA should receive worthwhile competition from the Wayne DaCosta-trained American colt DOUBLE THE HONEY, who just held on to beat MINISTEROFJUSTICE over this trip last Saturday.

The Michael McIntosh-trained MINISTEROFJUSTICE is also back with favourite jockey Dane Nelson aboard and along with THE GUV, a stable-companion of SAINT CECELIA, should prove competitive.

But as far as winning is concerned, they will have their work cut out to get back to the fleet-footed SAINT CECELIA, who last November romped the prestigious Caribbean Sprint Championship over this trip in the smart time of 1:10.1, behind super splits of 22.3 and 44.4 for the first half mile.

programme

None of her opponents can live with splits like those, so the battle will be on for second.

Elsewhere on the 11-race programme - which commences at 12:40 p.m. - REEF MAKER and TURBINE should win the respective divisions of the three-year-old maiden condition race over the straight five course, to be contested by 14 starters apiece.

Both have worked well in preparation for the races, especially the Richard Azan-trained TURBINE (Dane Nelson up), who is out for the first time this season after finishing second in his last three career starts. The son of Saint Appeal looked real sharp at exercise on April 4 when galloping from the gates in 1:00.4 by 46.4.

I also like the speedy BOLDLY FORMAL to repeat in the first race, INDY QUEEN in the sixth, the speedy ONELITLEWISH to stave off ALEXANDRA'S SPIRIT in Division II of the CTL Exercise Riders' race, and the Gary Subratie-trained DANCE SO SWEET to go one better in the eighth.