Dr St Aubyn Bartlett (left), chief veterinarian at the Jamaica Racing Commission, presents the Dr Clifford Grey Memorial Cup to Ian Roberts, representing Good Heart, whose three-year-old filly, BRASH & SASSY, made a winning debut in the feature race over 1300 metres for maiden three-year-olds at Caymanas Park on Wednesday. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

The consistent American three-year-old filly, QUICK AND GRAY, looks the horse to beat when she takes on eight opponents in the open allowance feature for the Seek Exercise Book Trophy over 1300 metres at Caymanas Park today.

The race is sponsored by Book Empire Limited, distributors of Seek exercise books.

In addition to the $705,000 feature, the 10-race programme, which is co-sponsored by Seek and Champion Betting Limited, has three other trophy races.

A competitive field of nine is down to face the starter in the Seek Exercise Book Trophy.

With the likes of hat-trick seeker HONEYOFALADY, QUICK AND GRAY, SHANGHAI PASS, THE GUARDIAN and this year's 1000 Guineas and Oaks winner SAINT CECELIA present, it should go down to the wire.

I narrow it down to the trio of HONEYOFALADY and QUICK AND GRAY, two progressive American three-year-old fillies who enjoy winning races, as well as SAINT CECELIA, who takes on older horses for the first time after her good second to BRUCEONTHELOOSE in the July 11 RJR St Leger over 2000 metres.

Trained by Spencer Chung, SAINT CECELIA (working well) is a class act and despite the reduced trip, will not go down without a grand fight with only 50.0kg and in-form Paul 'Country' Francis aboard.

late challenge

The Dwight Chen-trained HONEYOFALADY is coming off a recent win over 1400 metres in the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission Trophy on August 1, a race in which she held on grimly by half a length to repel a late challenge from QUICK AND GRAY, who failed in her bid for the four-timer.

Although HONEYOFALADY (Dick Cardenas again in the saddle) is back with a great chance, especially now she has been administered Lasix for the first time and represents the speed, she renews rivalry with QUICK AND GRAY on all of 8.0kg worse terms and this could expose a chink in her armour against her old rival.

With a mere 48.0kg and competent lightweight jockey Peter Bryan aboard, QUICK AND GRAY should not only turn the tables on HONEYOFALADY, but beat the others as well.

The grey filly from the stables of Anthony Ferguson could be deemed a shade unlucky against HONEYOFALADY recently, as she was not the best away from the dreaded number one post position and was forced to come wide into the straight and switched down off a true line when being produced by Francis in the last furlong.

Despite all that, QUICK AND GRAY had THE GUARDIAN (third), SHANGHAI PASS (sixth), RAMPAGE (seventh) and HAIL THE GENIUS (eighth) behind that day.

Hence, the two horses she has to beat today are HONEYOFALADY and SAINT CECELIA.

Having secured a perfect draw on the outside of the field, she should prove too strong for her main rivals at the business end.

Other firm fancies on the card are FELICIDAD in the second race, SIMPLE SWEET in the fifth, TRIAL LAWYER in the sixth for the Rhoel Rhoden Memorial Trophy for two-year-olds, SMOOTH DIAMOND in the seventh and down in class POORLITTLERICHGIRL over recent winner DUST ROCK in the Champion Claiming Series.