Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
NATURAL ATLANTA, running at odds of 12-1 with apprentice Delroy Beharie aboard, gets the better of the 99-1 outsider ROYAL CHRIS (Amth Robles) to win the eighth race over 1500 metres at Caymanas Park last Saturday. NATURAL ATLANTA is owned and trained by Patrick Fong.

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

Grade one horses take the spotlight at Caymanas Park today in the 16th running of the Arthur Jones Memorial Cup over 1200 metres.

The 11-race programme marks the first leg of the two-day Easter Carnival which continues on Monday with the Easter Sprint Cup over 1100 metres highlighting that 11-race programme.

In the Arthur Jones Cup, run in memory of the colourful 'Hall of Fame' jockey, who was champion on 10 occasions beginning in 1946, the crack imported sprinter CLOCK WORK will be gunning to win the race for the second consecutive year.

CLOCK WORK is one of six horses declared and despite the small field, the race promises to be keenly contested. The main hopefuls are CLOCK WORK, the recent Eros Trophy winner RAMPAGE with Shane Ellis again in the saddle, stable-companion ROMEZ who bids for a hat-trick of wins after getting the Abe Issa Memorial Cup over this trip in the Stewards' Room on February 9 and the super fit BULLET TRAIN, who steps up in class in a bid for the hat-trick.

Straight fight

Essentially, the race should come down to a straight fight between trainers Wayne DaCosta (Clock Work, Bullet Train) and Richard Azan (Rampage, Romez).

On current form, any of the four is capable of winning, but my leaning is towards the fleet-footed CLOCK WORK, who last year beat RAMPAGE in a driving finish to lift this prize. Both represent the class horses in this small field and it could be a replay of last year's finish.

Although not as good as he was this time last year, CLOCK WORK has retained much of his speed and is sure to set off in front once again under customary pilot Dane Nelson.

When last raced over this trip on March 1, CLOCK WORK failed in his bid to make all when worn down and beaten three-quarter length by MEDICAL REPORT in open allowance company. And a week prior to that he found the crushing impost of 60.5kg too much in the Eros Trophy and after leading for the first half mile, was beaten into fourth place by 11-1 shot RAMPAGE.

Convenient mark

Today, CLOCK WORK (working well) enjoys a 4.0kg swing with RAMPAGE in the weights and given the shorter distance, should not only turn the tables on RAMPAGE, but beat the others as well from his convenient mark of 55.0kg.

The well-forward debutante STAR OF THE SEA (Trevor Simpson up) from the stables of 'Hall of Famer' Allan 'Billy' Williams is tipped to lead home fellow debutante THE PRINCIPAL and PLEASURE FLIGHT in Division I of the Percy Martin Memorial Cup over the straight, while the speedy filly MARIA ELENA (Simpson again) gets the nod over MR. BLAIR in Division II.

I also like the brilliant unbeaten 3-y-o colt COMMANDER ZERO to race only the clock in the opening race over 1200 metres - his prep for the upcoming 2000 Guineas, FIRST TIME LUCKY in the fifth, OLE KING COLE to catch SPACESAVER in the seventh, ALI SPENDER over HEART OF STEEL in the eighth and the consistent SLOGAN in the ninth.