Legality to turn fortunes around in Overnight Allowance contest
HAVING failed to connect in his last two outings, Anthony Nunes’ Legality could now get it right when he takes on 12 rivals in a competitive-looking non-restricted Overnight Allowance contest going seven furlongs (1,400 metres) at Caymanas Park today.
Much excitement is expected to surround the 11-race card as promoting company Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) pays homage to its many off-track betting (OTB) parlours across the island.
The American-bred Legality and his peers will bring the curtains down on proceedings for the event which will be run in honour of Port Maria OTB and carries a $1-million purse.
Post time for the curtain call is 5:00 pm. First post is 11:00 am.
Though his last two runs on November 21 and December 5 were not all too disappointing, Legality was expected to waltz his way into the winners’ enclosure on at least one of those occasions, but found Jamai Raja and veteran campaigner Superluminal in his way.
Legality’s November 21 run over 7 ½ furlongs was a cry of too little too late, as he was left over three lengths behind by the fleet-footed Jamai Raja who utilised underdog status to steal a march on the field in a post-to-post effort.
Two weeks later, Legality turned in a more positive performance but failed to cut down Superluminal in the Errol “Big Sub” Subratie Memorial at a mile, and was left a length and a half down at the end.
With those two second-place finishes under his girth the way now seems well paved for Legality to capitalise and notch his second win for the year from five starts.
Title-chasing rider Dane Nelson will again be aboard the four-year-old colt with a slight ease in the scales at 56.0 kg (123lb), compared to the 57.0kg (126lb) he carried on last.
Nunes’ other entrant Tricky One did well the first time of asking in the grade when finishing fourth behind Superluminal on December 5. Tricky One is fighting fit at the moment and, despite having to deal with his stronger stablemate Legality and others, could run well enough to hit the board.
Ian Parsard’s Father Patrick should prove the biggest threat to Legality’s chances of winning as he steps down from Open Allowance company to compete here.
Father Patrick did exceptionally well to finish third behind
Sir Alton and Nipster over 7 ½ furlongs on November 28 when partnered by female apprentice Natalie Berger, who had him in front for most of the way before weakening in deep stretch.
Now with in form apprentice Oshane Nugent astride, Father Patrick is guaranteed a stronger handling at a level and distance over which he will be comfortable. Father Patrick’s speed and good form should come into play here and make it an interesting finish.
The Richard Azan-trained Eroy flopped in his last two events when much more was expected. This talented American colt was installed favourite in the Errol Subratie cup race on December 5 with the tongue tie fitted for the first time, and that equipment change may have resulted in his poor display — a seventh-place finish by almost eight lengths.
In all his wisdom, Azan has removed the equipment for today’s assignment and is reacquainting Eroy with customary jockey Omar Walker, replacing Dick Cardenas, and hopes are high that the colt will return to winning ways.
Master of Hall, conditioned by Wayne Dacosta, is another highly capable and determined performer when presented in the right frame of mind.
So far, Master of Hall has failed to really live up to expectations as his third-place finish behind Jamai Raja and Legality on November 21 represents his best showing in recent times.
That third-place performance raised hopes that the five-year-old gelding is back on the mend, but then came a no-show in the Errol “Big Sub” Subratie Memorial Cup on December 5.
As such, Master of Hall’s unpredictability leaves a lot of doubt around his chances of winning this, despite being in the hands of leading rider Anthony Thomas.
Wayne Parchment’s Wartime is usually a consistent mare who has a bad performance here or there, and one such bad performance came on November 21 in the form of a ninth-place finish. However, a better showing should be on the cards and, though not expected to win, Wartime could be thereabouts at the end.
Meanwhile Messi, coming off a long break of 160 days, will need a race or two to get back in tune, while Crimson, Loose Ball, Uncle Vinnie, Rohan Kabir, El Profesor, Extruder and Drone Strike complete the line-up.
Ones to Watch
Race 1) Princess Statistic/ Powerful Red/lady Carmen/ Indy Arazi
Race 2) Sweet Medicine/ Shashamani Dance/lambana/ Black Royalty
Race 3) Unwritten Law/ Sure Curlin/sudden Flight/ Chandra’s Law
Race 4) Donotplaywithmagic/ Johncrowjeff/silver Hawk/ Alimony
Race 5) Royal Aviator/ Subbie/mirabilis/nala’s Bushman
Race 6) Princess Lauren/ El Gringo/reggae Gone Grammy/blind Faith
Race 7) Chief of State/ City Counsel/cartel/nuclear Thunder
Race 8) Attorney General/ Princess Lizzy/let Him Fly/ Sencity/sweet Toppins
Race 9) No Identity/ Commandante Lunar/it Is Now/sweet Renisha
Race 10) Unbreakable/ El Cliente/flower’s Thirty/ Musketoon/congrats Suckie
Race 11) Tricky One/ Legality/wartime/father Patrick/eroy