El Patron to turn tables on Ladylike

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The rich and prestigious Supreme Ventures two-year-old Series continues at Caymanas Park today with race two in the series - the $3.6 million Pick-3 Super Challenge Trophy over 1400 metres to be contested by 13 starters.

The field for this the seventh running includes LADYLIKE, who, on October 15, captured the first race in the series, the $2.95 million Cash Pot 'Only One For Me' Trophy over 1200 metres with Dane Nelson riding for absentee trainer Dwight Chen, who was then represented by Oneil Markland.

LADYLIKE is in line for a crack at the $1 million bonus for the horse good enough to win all three races in the series, which climaxes on Boxing Day with the $4.25 million Supreme Ventures Jamaica two-year-old Stakes over 1600 metres.

Since the inception of the series in 2005, no youngster has been able to win the bonus for their owner.

Significantly, the first five past the post in the 'Only One For Me Trophy' return for today's rematch and while LADY LIKE will have lots of supporters, this is a different race.

She caught and beat the front-running AWESOME CAMILLE under champion jockey Omar Walker by 1¹/⁴ lengths, followed by a 2¹/² gap to the late-closing EXOTIC GOLD in third, the then favourite EL PATRON four lengths adrift in fourth, and ALL CORRECT, who finished five lengths, fifth. Indications are that the winner will come from this group.

AWESOME CAMILLE and LADYLIKE will once again carry the pace, but with an additional furlong to travel, both should play into the hands of EL PATRON, to be ridden by leading jockey Dick Cardenas for title-chasing trainer Anthony Nunes.

The lightly raced chestnut colt by Sir Lal Bahadur out of the Footloose II mare Lady Chiriya was installed a 7-5 favourite for race, one in the series, but coming from a bad draw at post position two, he got bogged down (outpaced) on the inside in muddy conditions and made mild headway to finish four lengths fourth.

In recent weeks, EL PATRON has moved impressively at exercise in preparation for today's encounter, galloping six furlongs in a brisk 1:13.3 in the visor last Sunday morning.

good draw

Also going for EL PATRON is the fact that he has secured a good draw on the outside of the field on this occasion. He will also welcome the additional furlong of this race, and barring rain, should prove too strong for old rivals LADYLIKE and AWESOME CAMILLE in the last furlong.

Trainer 'Baba' Nunes has fitted EL PATRON with the visor for the first time, and this should further help his cause on only his fourth start. He possesses a good turn of foot and I take him to turn the tables on LADYLIKE, a grey filly by Distorted out of Knightley, and notch his third win from four starts.

Other firm fancies on the card are PRIVATE CARD to win the second race over 2000 metres; THE RUNNING MAN in the fourth; BLENDER to go all the way in the fifth; GLOBAL WARMING in the seventh; MY FRIEND LUCY in the ninth; and NATURALFANTASY in the nightpan.