Take Will In Charge
THE UNITED Racehorse Trainers’ Association stages its annual raceday at Caymanas Park today, the 10race programme featuring the URTA Trophy Restricted Stakes over 1820 metres.
Seven three-year-olds will face the starter, including top contenders WILL IN CHARGE and the imported filly AWESOME DESTINY, both of whom finished heads on behind JAMAI RAJA over this trip on October 22.
On that occasion, the Gary Subratie-trained AWESOME DESTINY held off WILL IN CHARGE by a neck for second, and with none of the others having the class to separate them, they should have the finish to themselves.
Although AWESOME DESTINY is a bit more pacey than WILL IN CHARGE, preference is for the latter, who is set to receive 1.5kg.
Trainer Robert Pearson has WILL IN CHARGE in good nick for this race, the son of Adore The Gold - Gem Lea galloping 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:09.3 easily at exercise recently.
SUFFERING INTERFACE
It should be recalled that WILL IN CHARGE finished second to BIGDAD-DYKOOOL in the St Leger back in July and fourth to the disqualified FUTURE KING in the Derby after suffering some interference leaving the half mile.
He also finished 4 1/2 lengths second to JAMAI RAJA in a fast-run 1500-metre race some months ago, and, all in all, has been pretty consistent. This gives him a distinctive edge over AWESOME DESTINY today, especially if the apprentice Hakeem Pottinger rides a patient race for the number one post position.
Also on the programme is the annual renewal of the Royal Lancaster Trophy for maiden two years-olds over the round-five course, which looks tailored for AKASH, and the Frank Parham Memorial Trophy over 1200 metres.
The nine-horse field for the Frank Parham Memorial includes the hot antepost favourite MR AMBASSADOR, with leading jockey Omar Walker riding for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta and ARIZONA GOLD under outgoing champion jockey Shane Ellis.
MR AMBASSADOR looks the speediest in the line-up and is tipped to go wire to wire. I also like SHADE OF BEAUTY to repeat in the fourth race, STAR OF DAVID to do likewise in the sixth, and consistent WARTIME in the 10th and final.