Orville Clarke, Freelance Reporter
WINNING MESSAGE, ridden by Clive Lynch, sprints away from a weakening ROBIN'S BAY to land the 1100-metre sixth race at Caymanas Park on New Year's Day. Winning Message is tipped to win today's CTL Series opener. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
The year's first mid-week race meet is on at Caymanas Park today; the well-supported 11-race programme featuring event No. 1 in the Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) Claiming Series ($210,000 and less) over 1100 metres to be contested by 10 starters.
Mid-week racing will continue on February 6 (Ash Wednesday), February 20 and 27.
Among the starters in the CTL Series opener are the recent winners, WINNING MESSAGE and CELEBRATION TIME who bids for a hat-trick of wins.
In addition to these two, others such as DOMINADOR, UNQUESTIONABLE and DIAMOND KING should ensure a competitive race.
CELEBRATION TIME won back-to-back races over the straight five course and 1400 metres on December 29 and January 19, respectively, holding on well for an upset win in the latter race.
That was achieved on a $210,000 claiming tag and being one of the fittest in the line-up, the Albert Chong-trained CELEBRATION TIME should be bang in contention at the finish.
The six-year-old son of Dixie Dancer has good speed and will enjoy this quick sprint.
Appealing form
WINNING MESSAGE also has appealing form, having won two of his last three races and was narrowly beaten by subsequent winner PURE JUSTICE over 1200 metres last time out on January 12.
WINNING MESSAGE won very easily over today's trip on January 1 and duly followed up over the round five course, running on well after missing the break to beat the free-running UNQUESTIONABLE in a driving finish.
But the son of Missionary Ridge was brave in defeat against PURE JUSTICE when coming to the grade on last and with the latter paying tribute to the form by winning via the Stewards' Room in better company last Saturday, WINNING MESSAGE will not go down easily from the convenient mark of 54.0kg and in-form Dane Nelson aboard.
Not without chances
Others such as UNQUESTIONABLE, DIAMOND KING, MISS PAIGE and the useful but unpredictable DOMINADOR are not without chances, especially UNQUESTIONABLE who has been running consistently well and now carries a mere 50.0kg.
With the fleet-footed HAFIFA expected to keep CELEBRATION TIME and UNQUESTIONABLE honest into the straight, however, this should set up the race nicely for WINNING MESSAGE, who will only need to leave the gates promptly in order to resume winning ways.
Other firm fancies on the card are OUTFITHER (too light) to stave off LADY INDIRA and SHE'S OUTRAGEOUS in the opening race over 1200 metres, MISTER OFFICER (knocking at the door) to lead home the lightly raced EVANDER in the second, MEDIC ON BOARD to complete the hat-trick at the expense of A FIRE INSIDE in the fifth, down-in-class RED I in the eighth and BLUE MAGIC (fitter) over CRUCIAL POINT and THUNDER SQUAD in the competitive looking overnight allowance race at 1100 metres.
