Fluffy to upstage Sir Von

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Thanks to huge upsets by SWIFT GLORY at 57-1 and ABRAM STAR at 25-1 in the closing race, both ridden by Robert Stewart, the Pick-9 boasts a $2.4 million carryover going into tomorrow's race meet at Caymanas Park.

With the jackpot beginning to grow, a Pick-9 payout in excess of $3.5 million looks a real possibility.

The Pick-9 embraces races two to 10, the first Super-6 from one to six, the overlapping Super-6 from five to 10.

We look at the second Super-6 which gets under way with a 3-y-o and up claiming race over 1400 metres, and right off away we have a competitive-looking race among the 11 horses declared.

Included in the line-up are hat-trick seeker SEEK GOLD, the horse he beat narrowly over a mile last time out, TRICKY TRAIN, along with WHITE STAR and FABULOUSCONNECTION, who were fourth and fifth, respectively, in the said race, as well as SULAMANI, who won on June 4.

TRICKY TRAIN

EEK GOLD will not be inconvenienced by the shorter distance, is still nicely off at the scales with 51.0kg, and could get there in the nick of time. Preference, however, is for the Harry Parsard-trained TRICKY TRAIN, who finished close up in second in his last two races and gets the nod over SEEK GOLD and WHITE STAR. Title-chasing jockey Dick Cardenas has the ride.

Down-in-class LONG PROCESS looks hard to oppose in the sixth race for $180,000 claimers over 1820 metres, despite the presence of NAHIMA and the imported mare BRED FOR SUCCESS, who is also down in class.

However, the Anthony Subratie-trained LONG PROCESS is down two classes in quest of a long overdue win, and with leading jockey Shane Ellis taking the ride, should make no mistake in a field of 12.

Champion trainer Wayne DaCosta holds the key to the outcome of the seventh race for open allowance horses over 1400 metres with SIR VON and the filly FLUFFY. Both are expected to fill the first two slots, and while the down-in-class SIR VON is likely to start favourite with Ellis up, FLUFFY (Dane Nelson) could just have his measure over this trip.

Most competitive

Race number eight for native and imported three-year-olds over 1820 metres promises to be the most competitive on the card, with no fewer than five of the starters having sound claims. Among the principals are PASADOBLE, SUNDOWN, REGAL RUN, LIFE GOES ON, ZACK and AWESOME WILDCAT.

SUNDOWN (working well) literally spreadeagled the opposition on June 22 when beating MISS MAY by 11 lengths over this trip, and could start favourite on the strength of that performance.

But the vote goes to Carl Anderson's AWESOME WILDCAT, who beat the subsequent St Leger runner-up COLD GROUND in a driving finish over 1800 metres on April 25 and is pointed for this race. AWESOME WILDCAT to win from SUNDOWN and PASADOBLE is my idea of the outcome.

In race No. 9, bank on the island's top-rated horse RONRON (now taking orders from DaCosta) to win the Eileen Cliggott Trophy (grade one) over 1300 metres, before closing the programme with GWENNIETHEBUTCHER in the nightpan.

SECOND SUPER-6 FANCIES

(5) TRICKY TRAIN/SEEK GOLD

(6) LONG PROCESS/NAHIMA

(7) FLUFFY/SIR VON

(8) AWESOME WILDCAT/SUNDOWN

(9) RONRON

(10) GWENNIETHEBUTCHER/GOLD RUNNER