Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
King Isaac, one of two winners for the apprentice Jason Simpson, makes all impressively to win the eighth race for maiden three year olds over the round five course at Caymanas Park, last Saturday. Trained by Phillip Elliott, King Isaac won by five lengths at odds of 7-2. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Nine horses are down to contest today's overnight allowance feature over 2000 metres for the Joseph Ashenheim Memorial Bowl at Caymanas Park and, from all indications, it should be an interesting race.
Among the starters are GOOD COMPANY, ROYAL COMMAND, HERECOMESFUDGIE, PITTACUS and I AM PAID FOR, the group from which the winner should emerge.
All are ideally suited to the distance, HERECOMESFUDGIE having won the 2003 Governor's Cup and St. Leger over this trip and PITTACUS who captured the 2003 Superstakes over the same distance. And, both GOOD COMPANY and ROYAL COMMAND were beaten favourites over 1600 metres and 1400 metres respectively last time out, but either has the capacity to rebound in a race of this nature.
RAZOR SHARP
GOOD COMPANY, in particular, has looked razor sharp at exercise in preparation for this trophy. The seven-year-old gelding from the stables of champion trainer Wayne DaCosta galloped five furlongs in a brisk 1:00.1 last Saturday morning and prior to that was caught in an impressive 5-1/2-furlong gallop of 1:06.1 on July 9.
Although beaten into fourth place by NATURAL DESIRE when installed favourite for a 1600m race on June 16, GOOD COMPANY will more than likely start favourite and, given a more patient ride from Dane Nelson, can definitely recoup losses in present company.
He is by no means harshly treated with 54.0kg and with the competition not as fierce, is tipped to rebound.
Still, GOOD COMPANY can expect stiff opposition from the Noel Ennevor-trained HERECOMESFUDGIE, who must have a grand chance on the strength of his good second to PURE MUD over the distance in the Ren Gonsalves Memorial Cup on May 26, while the Trevor Simpson mount ROYAL COMMAND, beaten into sixth place by CHADMAN over 1400 metres recently, should prefer the easier pace of this race and will not be far away at the end.
While HERECOMESFUDGIE in particular should prove extremely dangerous, GOOD COMPANY has trained too well to lose.
LITTLE DIFFICULTY
Elsewhere on the nine-race programme which commences at 1:15 p.m., the DaCosta-trained three-year-old gelding NATURALLY ROYAL should have little difficulty in winning the opening race over 1600 metres to be contested by six starters.
NATURALLY ROYAL, who went down narrowly to the imported horse STRONG DELIVERY over the circular nine course on June 16 and was fourth in the Lotto Classic (Governor's Cup) on May 12, looks a cinch at the weights with only 51.0kg and should lead home RUMOUR HAS IT and FIDDLE STICKS.
Other firm fancies on the card are SOY MUJER in the third race over 1700 metres, IMPERIALIST to stave off old rival ECSTASY in the fourth, Desmond Shand's WAGONIST (working well for his new trainer) to win the sixth over the straight ahead of the fleet-footed pair of HAFIFA and YOSHI, while it should be SOFTLY MY DEAR in the seventh and CORDITE (aimed too low) in the nightpan.
