By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterAPPRENTICE Clive "Junior Spoon" Douglas seems poised to notch his first winner from his first ride when he pilots the 5-y-o debutante NOWITSKI in the opening straight five race in tomorrow's Racing Pools game.
Douglas, who has been around for quite a while, is no stranger to the winners' enclosure at Caymanas Park, having won two races confined to exercise riders prior to entering the Jockeys' School. He is, at 32, the oldest of the 21 apprentices who graduated in November of last year.
The Victor Williams-trained NOWITSKI makes her belated debut, but has been working fairly well and definitely looks a cut above this moderate crowd. Having secured the best draw on the outside, she should race into an early lead and win at the expense of DRAMATICS and CARIBBEAN VOYAGE.
RED BOOTLACES has lowered his sights for the second race over 1400 metres and in light of this, should come into his own at the expense of OK DON (also stepping down) and the very fit ROYAL FLIGHT.
Old rivals JUICE and GUNG TONG WAH, along with the fairly well prepared ELASTICITI, should ensure a keen contest in the third race over the round five course, to be contested by seven starters.
Both renew rivalry on identical terms in the weights, but GUNG TUNG WAH not only has a stronger rider in hot Clive Lynch, but should report that much fitter as the previous race was her first since October. She thus gets the nod, but only just ahead of JUICE.
The fourth race for maiden three-year-olds see MISS STRAWBERRY (showed promise on debut), DUE RESPECT (ran well last time), well advanced debutante THE INTERN and MOLTEN LAVA (ready) in contention where it matters. The choice has to be the improving filly MOLTEN LAVA, who was a fast-finishing second to AERO COMMANDER, beaten only a length, in the recent Eight Thirty Sprint over the straight five course.
The last four races should be won by BLACK THATCH (the class horse), TEMPTRESS (ran well last Saturday), vastly improved SATISFIER, who just failed to achieve the hat-trick recently when beaten on the line by PROCEEDACCORDINGLY in the IGL Trophy over 1700 metres, and COUNTER STORM (aimed too low).
