Good luck following Chace the Great in Reggae Trophy feature
Despite carrying topwieght of 57.0kgs (126lbs), two-time sprint champion Chace The Great is expected to repeat his Reggae Trophy triumph in the quick dash Graded Stakes event over the five furlong (1,000 metres) straight course at Caymanas Park today.
Though lining up against six rivals, Chace The Great’s main challenge should come from the Richard Azan pair of Peking Cruz and Money Magnet in what should be a testy feature event scheduled for 3:45 pm.
First post for the 10-race programme is 12:10 pm.
The Dwight Chenconditioned Chace The Great closed last year in an impressive form by successfully defending his crown as the best sprinter in the land in November, followed by a thirdplace finish in the lucrative Diamond Mile, before losing by a head to She’s A Maneater over five-and-a-half furlongs on December 15.
In that event, the six-yearold chestnut gelding carried 52.5kgs, six pounds more than rivals, Peking Cruz and Money Magnet, who both ran with an even 50.0kgs and ended eighth and fifth, respectively.
Chace The Great will once again be allowing weight to the two, but such is the form of this top-class campaigner that he should defy the weight and prove hard to deny with Dane Nelson in the saddle again.
It should be noted that the last time Chace The Great came down the straight it was in this very same event where he came home a winner in 58.2 seconds, defeating an even more formidable Siempre Bueno with Money Magnet finishing back in third.
Peking Cruz has shown a liking to the straight course and has already clocked 58.0 seconds over this journey back in September, which simply means that he could prove a handful.
The four-year-old chestnut gelding produced his best performance to date in the Sprint Championship (six furlongs) in November of last year toting 121 lb and was beaten by just under two lengths by Chace The Great with 126 lb.
Now with a mere 109lbs in his back, Peking Cruz is sure to make his presence felt and should ensure that Chace The Great’s mettle is tested all the way to the wire.
Money Magnet, for her part, is a very consistent filly who is going to be quite comfortable coming down the five straight drawn widest of her rivals. The five-year-old chestnut mare has been showing good form on the exercise track, clocking 59.0 seconds on January 8 and 14, bettering stablemate Peking Cruz.
That should be enough to signal the intentions of Money Magnet and her trainer, and though Chace The Great has the edge here, this filly is tough and is going to fight to the bitter end.
Veteran campaigner Campesino and Houdini’s Magic are two well-seasoned top-of-the-line runners included in the field, but are not expected to cause too much problem for the top three, while newcomers in the class — KD Flyer and Exhilarate — will have to await easier assignments.
Ones to watch
Race 1) General Mubaraak/ Moviestar/makhi
Race 2) Lambana/break of Dawn/stallwalkin’girl
Race 3) Subbie/musketoon/ Supertronics
Race 4) Machu Picchu/ Speedy Process/beast
Race 5) Dezzy the Genius/ Isotope/my Mom Juss
Race 6) Markofaprince/ Storming Flyer/cat’s Rigger
Race 7) Chace The Great/ Money Magnet/peking Cruz
Race 8) Sentient/envisaged/ Si Me Now
Race 9) Chrisanli/uncle Freddie/storm Princess
Race 10) Ras Emanuel / Zephyr/bimini