Sir Alton, God of Love renew rivalry in knotty Open Allowance/graded Stakes contest
Much like the jockeys’ and trainers’ championships, a close finish could very well be on the cards in a top-rated Open Allowance/graded Stakes event as a number of fleet-footed sprinters and middle-distance runners lock horns in a mouthwatering clash over six furlongs (1,200m) at caymanas Park today.
Decorated trainer Wayne Dacosta, who is in an intriguing battle with reigning champion Anthony Nunes for this year’s top honours, holds a strong hand in the event, with all four of his trainees in with a shot of taking home a slice of the $2-million purse.
Summer Sun, Sir Alton, Stranger Danger and Drummer Boy carries Dacosta’s hopes of cutting further into, or by extension, surpassing Nunes’ $1-million lead, which he held heading into yesterday’s ninerace programme.
However, with Nunes saddling more runners than Dacosta on that programme on today’s 10-race card, there is a strong possibility that he could maintain or even extend the lead in the hunt to land his second trainers’ title, thereby making this feature contest — for three-year-old and upwards — an opportune one for the 18-time champion to close the gap.
Nunes’ lone starter here is Supreme Soul with Spencer Chung’s Truly Amazing, Fitzgerald Richards’ God of Love and the Ian Parsardtrained Father Patrick representing the other main contenders in the 12-horse field. The other competitors are Action Run, Chace the Great, Peking Cruz and Cryptocurrency. First post is 11:30 am. Of Dacosta’s four runners, Sir Alton seems the liveliest contender based on current form. The American-bred colt secured three-consecutive wins on his way to this level, but found Sentient and the country’s current top-rated horse in training Toona Ciliata too hot to handle in his next two races.
In the October 24 Viceroy Trophy contest against Toona Ciliata going a mile (1,600m), Sir Alton led for most of the way, but couldn’t hold off Toona Ciliata in deep stretch and finished four lengths in second place.
Now back among rivals he can manage at a distance where he is more effective, Sir Alton can definitely resume winning ways here, provided all things go according to plan. Leading rider Anthony Thomas will again do the honours aboard the Von White-owned charge.
Uncertainties surround the health of Dacosta’s other American-bred charge Stranger Danger, who has been a shadow of himself following a series of injuries. He returned to competitive racing on September 12, coming off a long layoff and finished at the back of an eight-horse field.
Although a case can be made for Stranger Danger that he needed the run, he has not been hard-pressed at exercise which indicates that he might still be in the recovery process.
However, if it is that Stranger Danger shows up anywhere close to his best then he will be unstoppable against these. Phillip Parchment replaces female apprentice Abigail Able in the saddle, which could also be a sign of what is to come.
Though not expected to win, both Drummer Boy and Summer Sun should pad Dacosta’s earnings here, especially if Sir Alton takes the lion share of the purse.
Drummer Boy has been holding his own since making a winning return to competitive racing in September, and should give a good account of himself, while Summer Sun would have preferred it longer, but possesses a late surge that could see him enter the reckoning.
With the race for the top jockeys’ honours heating up, Fitzgerald Richards has called on the services of the rich-in-form Dane Nelson to partner God of Love for this assignment.
Nelson, who has significantly closed the gap between himself and Thomas, replaces apprentice Oshane Nugent aboard the gelding for this rematch against Sir Alton.
God of Love was third behind Sentient and Sir Alton, after leading most of the way in a six-furlong event on October 10. But again, the change in rider could make a world of difference, so expect a much-improved performance from God of Love today.
Truly Amazing and Father Patrick are both blessed with speed, grit and determination — qualities that will serve them well in a contest of this nature. But with their recent conqueror
Sir Alton still present, they will have to dig deep to turn the tables.
Finally, Nunes’ lone ranger Supreme Soul is another one of those horses that would have preferred more distance of ground. Still, he has been showing that he can manage a sprint and as such, should make his presence felt along the way.
Ones to Watch
Race 1) Nina Dorada/strike at Will/queen Deftiny/sheboom
Race 2) Go Deh Girl/hoist the Mast/further And Beyond
Race 3) Band of Gold/ Lazer Light/night Light/sir Puddington
Race 4) Saint Michael/faulyna Forever/prince Dominick/hard Working Man
Race 5) Luminous Power/ Trickster/blu Attitude/big Dream
Race 6) Markofaprince/ Fortuneonehundred/zi Beast/ Bullet Raj/parajet
Race 7) Glock/awesome Treasure/another Affair/ Oneofakind
Race 8) Heiroffire/deep Blue Sea/beach Boy/top Shelf
Race 9) Truly Amazing/god of Love/sir Aton/stranger Danger
Race 10) Dontae/dezzy the Genius/secret Traveller/royal Vibes/blood Song