By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterFIFTEEN horses from the claiming spread $120,000 - $105,000 have been declared for today's Caymanas Park feature for the Clifford Stewart Memorial Cup over 1200 metres, a race which promises to be keenly contested every inch of the way.
Among the starters are the recent winners BRAVE DANCER, GIMME A DOLLAR and AWESOME GAIN, all of whom could play a prominent role in the proceedings.
The chances of both BRAVE DANCER and GIMME A DOLLAR are more pronounced than those of AWESOME GAIN, who is actually stepping up to compete. But so too are others like WILL YOU MARRY ME, SAVOIR FAIRE, DR. PEPPER and the grey WHITE GOLD, who has lowered her sights appreciably for this race and should go close with Trevor Simpson now slated.
Still, the form of WHITE GOLD is suspect, BRAVE DANCER's is not. The eight-year-old gelding from the stables of Ralph Porter beat KEISHA'S PRIDE by two lengths over today's distance on December 16 and now back to good form, is afforded a real chance of repeating with 50.0kg.
Richie Todd's SAVOIR FAIRE underlined his well being last Saturday when failing by three-quarter length to catch CIRCLE DE THRONE over 1300 metres, a race run in the fairly good time of 1:20.4.
I am expecting SAVOIR FAIRE to be right there at the finish, along with GIMME A DOLLAR who won easily over 1400 metres on December 13 and was not disgraced in his subsequent race on Boxing Day when third to SUCKIE YACKIE in a fast run 1500 metre race.
While I fancy the chances of GIMME A DOLLAR, BRAVE DANCER and especially SAVOIR FAIRE, I believe they will fall victim to WILL YOU MARRY ME, a horse who went winless for the whole of last season but seems ready to set the record straight.
Owned and trained by Norman Rose, WILL YOU MARRY ME caught the eye in his last two races, firstly on December 13 when finishing a close third (staying on) to WINNING WAYS and BRUT over 1100 metres and last time out on December 23 when placing fifth to BRUT in the Craven 'A' final over 1300 metres.
In the latter race, WILL YOU MARRY ME raced prominently under 54.0kg to lead on the inside entering the straight. He gave way to BRUT approaching the distance and gradually faded in the last furlong to finish 5 1/4 lengths fifth.
WILL YOU MARRY ME was running on a $150,000 tag that day. Today, however, he steps down to $120,000. With Rose opting for smart claiming apprentice Devon Thomas to ride the bay gelding from the convenient mark of 52.0kg, WILL YOU MARRY ME will not go down easily. SAVOIR FAIRE, GIMME A DOLLAR, BRAVE DANCER and WHITE GOLD should be bridesmaids.
Other firm fancies on the card are THE WHITE WITCH (improving) to turn the tables on old rival LADY KAMPOOR in the first race, NICK OF TIME (conditions ideal) to catch LEGIONAIR in the 3rd, RED BOOTLACES (working exceptionally well) to romp the 7th for maiden three-year-olds, SKIPPER WAY (little to beat) to stave off PASSIVE MASSIVE in the 8th and MEDICAL KAMAMBA (less to do now) to catch the recent winners STAR CREEK and PALMETTO XPRESS in the 9th where ZIRCON could well be her principal danger.
