Bank on The Validictorian

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

After eluding punters for seven consecutive racedays, the Pick-9 should soar at Caymanas Park with $6.8 million already in the kitty.

It will embrace races two to 10 on tomorrow's programme, while the first Super-6 will be conducted 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 $250,000-$210,000 claiming race over 1820 metres, in which nine starters have been declared.

Included in the line-up is the course specialist ROYAL BLAST, who slammed CHRISTMAS GIFT and JEOPARDY over this trip on June 4 with a similar impost (55.0kg) and same $250,000 claiming tag.

With everything again in his favour, ROYAL BLAST, with five-time champion Trevor Simpson aboard, should resume winning ways at the expense of HEY TRAIN (Omar Walker up) and JEOPARDY.

Next on the programme is a 2-y-o maiden special over 1100 metres for the Rhoel Rhoden Memorial Trophy, to be contested by 13 starters, including top contenders POOCHIE LIU, POTCHEEN, MOM'S SECRET and the well-forward debutante SUNLIGHT EXPRESS with champion jockey Omar Walker riding for trainer Richard Azan.

Preparation

SUNLIGHT EXPRESS is a chestnut colt by Traditional out of Victoria who has really caught the eye at exercise in his preparation, and should fight out the finish. However, preference is for the Wayne DaCosta-trained filly POOCHIE LIU, who went down fighting against ROYAL BUD on her debut over 800 metres straight on July 2 and will report even better for this race.

Late-kicking THE VALIDICTORIAN, to be ridden by leading jockey Dick Cardenas, looks the pick of the weights with only 52.0kg in the seventh race over 1500 metres. She was a fast-finishing second to J.R'S DREAM over 1200 metres on July 6, and despite the sound claims of PRINCE OF ARABIA and recent winner TRIAL LAWYER, THE VALIDICTORIAN (working fairly well) will prove hard to beat in the 11-horse field.

SIR JAADU BABA and DIABOLICAL KID, second and third, respectively, to SARAGOSSA in the recent G.A. 'Sarge' Bucknor Memorial Cup over the straight, should fight out the finish of the knotty overnight allowance race (8th) over 1100 metres, in which 14 starters have been declared.

The unbeaten three-year-old COMMANDING CHIEF, who romped the Boom Jamaica St Leger on July 2, gets the nod over two-time winner HOMBRE in the ninth race over 1820 metres for the Nigel B. Nunes Memorial Cup, to be contested by seven starters. Then, take the improving American filly RIVERS OF BABYLON (Dane Nelson up) over GERSHWIN and SAINT MARY in the closing one-mile race for native and imported three-year-olds.

SECOND SUPER-6 FANCIES

(5) ROYAL BLAST/HEY TRAIN(6) POOCHIE LIU/SUNLIGHT EXPRESS(7) THE VALIDICTORIAN(8) SIR JAADU BABA/DIABOLICAL KID(9) COMMANDING CHIEF/HOMBRE

(10) RIVERS OF BABYLON/GERSHWIN