Orville Clarke, Staff Reporter
CORDITE, ridden by Wesley Henry, winning a 1600m event on April 26. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
The Reca Trophy, in honour of the 1976 Derby winner, is one of two trophies at stake on today's Caymanas Park 11-race programme which commences at noon.
Reca won the Governor's Cup and the Derby in post-to-post fashion when trained by the late Ren Gonsalves. On both occasions he was ridden by the legendary George HoSang. Three years later this durable thoroughbred won the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup with Winston Griffiths riding for the late trainer, Howard Phillipps.
The Reca Trophy is a $290,0000- $260,000 claiming race for three-year-olds and up over 1400 metres, to be contested by eight starters.
The other trophy race on the card is the Keeling Memorial Cup for native bred two-year-olds over 1100 metres. It has attracted six youngsters, including the promising pair of SMILE OUT and FIRETRAIN who are unbeaten in their only races to date.
Fight out finish
Both have worked well and should fight out the finish, despite the presence of LADY INDIRA, LADY NAGIN and RHYMAT, all of whom have already won races.
Preference is for the Anthony 'Baba' Nunes-trained SMILE OUT under leading jockey Brian Harding. The bay filly by Outrigger out of Susan's Smile beat the highly regarded TOOT DI HOOT quite convincingly over 600 metres straight on her June 3 debut and looks a smart cookie.
Having impressed at exercise, she gets the nod over the Philip Feanny-trained FIRETRAIN (Trevor Simpson up), a dark bay filly by Outrigger out of Mississippi Train who looked above average when scoring easily on her debut over 800 metres straight three weeks ago.
Harding should complete the cup double aboard super fit CORDITE in the Reca Trophy, a race in which old rival ALLEGRO looks a big danger. CORDITE staved off the fast-finishing ALLEGRO by a length over a similar distance last Saturday.
Both horses renew rivalry with ALLEGRO enjoying a substantial swing in the weights. However, Harding replaces the apprentice Rayan Wilson aboard CORDITE, while four-time champion Charles Hussey gives way to the inexperienced apprentice Du'von Litchmore aboard ALLEGRO. Despite this it should be close between them.
New management
Significantly, both report up in class under new management, but going for CORDITE is the fact that he is back with his previous trainer Dennis Lee, who saddled him to win the Sports Journalists of Jamaica Trophy race over 1200 metres in fine style on a $290,000 tag back in June.
The race is not necessarily confined to CORDITE and ALLEGRO, as others such as as the recent winner DON'T STAY NAKED and NIJINSKY'S WAR should ensure keen competition. But CORDITE has the most appeal.
Other firm fancies on the card are PECKUS OUT in the 2nd, WEE GLITZ (knocking at the door) in the 5th, CELEBRATION TIME over stable-companion INCOMMUNICADO and IKAS in the 6th, AITCHEMESBEAGLE in the 8th and DOUBLE BOW in the 10th.
