DaCosta's Fluffy too fit to lose

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The first leg of the two-day Easter Racing Carnival commences at Caymanas Park today with the tough-looking overnight allowance race at 1500 metres taking the spotlight.

Racing continues at the park on Easter Monday with the $1.1 million Bonnie Blue Flag Trophy grade-one race over 1820 metres and the Easter Sprint Cup overnight allowance race over 1100 metres, the co-feature.

It could be said that FLUFFY, from the stables of champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, has not lived up to the high expectations which saw her winning four consecutive races between March and July of last year.

However, the four-year-old filly by Chelsey Cat out of Carol's Littlebit has by and large been running against better horses - beaten by the likes of SHANGHAI PASS, THE GUV, BRASH & SASSY and SIR VON in subsequent races.

Dignified defeat

Last time out on April 9, FLUFFY lost out by a nose to the improving American filly DANCE SO SWEET after a titanic last furlong duel over 1200 metres. She certainly lost no marks in defeat, considering that she is better suited to middle and longer distances.

Today, she gets the ideal trip and with former champion jockey Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry replacing the less experienced female apprentice Georgina Sergeon in the saddle, FLUFFY should make amends.

Still, she can ill-afford to put a foot wrong, especially coming from an unfavourable draw on the inside at post position one.

FLUFFY can expect some really stiff opposition from UNDAUNTED, who was an unlucky loser to the Sergeon-ridden 19-1 shot BULLET LINE over 1820 metres on April 6; the Anthony Nunes-trained REGAL SENSATION who was caught on the line by BULLET LINE that day, not to mention stable companion MACHISMO, who has been a model of consistency, VONALMIGHTY (fitter), BURNING CIELO (working well) and by no means least, the Norman Palmer-trained ESQUIRE, an impressive fast-time winner over 1400 metres on March 19.

Impressive work

FLUFFY, having worked impressively for this race, galloping 5¹/² furlongs in 1:06.4 on Sunday morning, has a lot in her favour. Given a trouble-free run on the inside, she should be good enough to stave off main rivals UNDAUNTED, ESQUIRE and REGAL SENSATION.

Elsewhere on the 10-race programme, the seventh race for the Joshua Morrison Memorial Cup (4-y-os and up non-winners of two) over 1500 metres should be won by GRAND CABARET, who failed by a head to catch RUN CHARM RUN over 1400 metres on March 26.

Champion jockey Omar Walker has retained the ride aboard the Spencer Chung-trained filly and, with a further 100 metres to travel, should win from the very fit TIME OF STORM and DIVINITY in a field of 11.

I also like PRINCE ROHAN to win the first race, CLEVER CHEROKEE to repeat in the third, TECHOMOTO in the fifth, RED FLAG sixth and MOLTEN KING in the nightpan.