Excellence on target for big run

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Thanks to mild upsets by MIKENIFICENT, SUPRE-ME CAT and MEA CULPA, all at odds of 6-1, the Pick-9 again proved elusive on Monday's Emancipation Day programme.

As the result, the carryover to tomorrow's meet at Caymanas Park stands at a whopping $5.2 million.

Given heavier-than-usual betting to catch this Pick-9, a payout of $6.5 million looks a real possibility. The Pick-9 will embrace races two to 10, the first Super-6 from race 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 overnight allowance race over 1600 metres in which the consistent EXCELLENCE looks weighted to win with only 50.0kg in a field of seven.

From the stables of champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, EXCELLENCE chased home BELOW THE WAIST in a fast-run 1500-metre race last time out on July 20, a race in which REGAL SENSATION was another 2¹/⁴ lengths away third.

Well-prepared

With in-form stable jockey Dick Cardenas now taking the ride on the well-prepared REGAL SENSATION, she is sure to go close, but EXCELLENCE, who has also worked well, is more genuine and thus gets the nod. BORA BORA and PRINCE OF PEACE could also enter the reckoning.

MY GIRL NALA (knocking at the door), who recently changed stables moving to top-line trainer Gary Subratie, gets the nod over ROSE GOLD and RIBBON IN THE SKY in the sixth race over the straight for maiden three-year-olds. The bay filly, who was recently trained by Lawrence Freemantle, now has the services of champion jockey Omar Walker, and with the Subratie stable in form, she is preferred to ROSE GOLD, who wasn't disgraced (third) behind AUSTIN LUKE over the straight on July 20.

The Nunes-trained LIGHTNING IMAGE (Cardenas up), whose only win was recorded over the straight on May 14, should rebound with a win over same following her good third to DON'TSAYAWORD and subsequent winner TURBINE over the course on June 25. She has trained well and should win from DESIGN STAR (Walker up) and AQUILO.

Resolve itself

SKIPPING MICHELLE, who caught the eye (third) behind SECRET WEAPON over 1200 metres last Saturday, gets the nod over MONEY HONEY and LEMONADE in the eighth race for maidens, again over the straight.

Race nine, the $1.3 million Prime Minister's Stakes grade one feature over 2000 metres, should resolve itself into a straight fight between 'Horse of the Year' MARK MY WORD (Walker up) and recent winner SIR VON, in receipt of 7.0kg. It promises to be close with the lightly weighted SIR VON coming to make all even though unproven over the distance. However, the Richard Azan-trained MARK MY WORD needs no introduction and is tipped to defy topweight of 57.0kg over this his pet trip.

Then, take down-in-class DOLLAR WIN (Walker up) to lead home PASSA PASSA (Shane Ellis) and RULE BY SECRECY (Cardenas aboard) in the closing one mile race (claiming $180,000) for the Knightsman Independence Day Stakes Trophy, in which the maximum 16 has been declared.

SECOND SUPER-6

(5) EXCELLENCE(6) MY GIRL NALA/ROSE GOLD

(7) LIGHTNING IMAGE/DESIGN STAR

(8) SKIPPING MICHELLE/MONEY HONEY

(9) MARK MY WORD(10) DOLLAR WIN/PASSA PASSA/RULE BY SECRECY