HOMBRE, one of two winners for apprentice Andre Martin, goes all the way in the seventh race ovrer 1500 metres at Caymanas Park last Saturday, winning at odds of 4-1. Martin returned to win aboard the 50-1 outsider FIRELINK. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Open allowance horses take the spotlight at Caymanas Park today when six of them face the starter for the competitive looking Abe Issa Memorial Cup over 1200 metres.

Included in the line-up are last year's disqualified winner, MEDICAL REPORT, now edging down in class with champion jockey Omar Walker aboard, as well as recent winner MUCHO GUSTO; BLUE MAGIC who wasn't disgraced behind ROMEZ last Saturday and, of course, the fleet-footed but classy mare OUTSTANDING, who is out for the first time since her good fifth in the Gold Cup over 1400 metres on December 6.

Start as favourite

OUTSTANDING, the mount of in-form Dane Nelson, will more than likely start favourite, although racing for the first time in eight weeks.

She led the Gold Cup field for almost 1200 metres, turning for home a length clear before coming under pressure approaching the distance, eventually finishing five lengths adrift of the winner, AHWHOFAH.

Prior to that, on Superstakes Day, November 8, OUTSTANDING was caught by AHWHOFAH, within shades of the wire, over this trip in the prestigious Caribbean Sprint Cham-pionship, a race in which she had the likes of MEDICAL REPORT (7th) and MUCHO GUSTO (10th) behind.

Although absent since the Gold Cup, OUTSTANDING has been stepped up at exercise by trainer Gresford Smith and looked really sharp when galloping six furlongs in a brisk 1:12.1 on December 21.

The five-year-old mare, by Law Of The Sea out of Tropical Magic, should appreciate the reduced trip and being the speediest in the line-up, should take a lot of catching from the convenient mark of 53.0kg.

Despite her strong claims, MUCHO GUSTO, who had her behind in the Gold Cup and has since won, as well as BLUE MAGIC and top weight MEDICAL REPORT, are worthy opponents and OUTSTANDING can ill-afford to skip a beat.

The Noel Ennevor-trained MEDICAL REPORT won a number of grade one races last year, including the Reggae Trophy, Lotto Sprint and Lady Geeta Trophy to be a contender for the champion sprinter award. Although lightly trained as usual, the eight-year-old gelding seldom runs a bad race and is not too high in the handicaps, with 57.0kg, to rebound in this small field, especially with Walker aboard.

Principal danger

Still, based on his close third in the Gold Cup when having both MEDICAL REPORT and OUTSTANDING behind, MUCHO GUSTO looks the principal danger to OUTSTANDING.

A good winner over 1400 metres on January 10, the five-year-old gelding from the stables of Anthony Nunes is still at home over the shorter distance and, from the handy mark of 52.0kg, could make things uncomfortable for my selection, OUTSTANDING, in deep stretch.

Other firm fancies on the card are MARK TO MARKET (down in class) to repeat in the third race, KING OF THE TRACK in the fourth, TOUCHDOWN in the fifth and LIKKLE BIT over PRIME MINISTER in the eighth race for overnight allowance horses.