Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

GLITTER CLEARANCE and MUCHO GUSTO established themselves as firm favourites for the April 7, 1000 and 2000 Guineas respectively when they scored contrasting victories in the trials at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Contesting the Thornbird Stakes over 1400 metres for native-bred three-year-old fillies, GLITTER CLEARANCE, running at odds of 6-1 with former champion jockey Wesley ?Callaloo? Henry aboard, came from a seemingly hopeless position in the backstretch to win most impressively by 7 1/2 lengths in sloppy conditions, after the 6-5 favourite outfitter had made most under leading all-time jockey, Winston Griffiths.

Second went to the 7-1 shot FIRST PRINCESS who made up a tremendous amount of late ground to beat the well-backed RIO INFINITO (4-1) by three-quarters of a length for second, while the 3-1 second favourite GRACE MARIE was fourth of the 13 starters.

The winner, a bay filly by Alias Mr. Glitz out of Special Clearance, is owned by the Success Farm, bred by Carl ?Django? Anderson and conditioned by veteran Lloyd ?Bigga? Gordon who controls a small string of horses.

even-money favourite

Later in the afternoon, the even-money favourite MUCHO GUSTO won the Prince Consort Stakes for the colts and geldings, again over 1400 metres.

One of three winners for in-form jockey Paul ?Country? Francis, the bay colt, was not the best away from the number one post position, but recovered quickly to chase the 18-1 outsider RHYMAT in the 11-strong field.

He disposed of RHYMAT early in the straight but had to be shaken up in the last furlong to stave off the the fast-finishing 15-1 shot NATURALLY ROYAL with Dane Nelson up, and CHIPONYOURSHOULDER (11-1) who stayed on well from below the distance, as Henry?s mount, the highly fancied ROMEZ (4-1) faded into fourth after racing prominently into the straight, while 5-2 second favourite RUM TALK found nil up the lane to finish fifth.

A bay gelding by Law Of The Sea out of Sweet Desire, MUCHO GUSTO is owned by Elias Haloute, who flew in from Barbados specifically for the race, and trained by Anthony ?Baba? Nunes who said that, despite losing on the wire to RUM TALK last Boxing Day, ?he was in fact the best two-year-old last season and can only get better?. MUCHO GUSTO was bred by the Argyll Farms Limited.