Orville Clarke, Freelance Reporter
WHEELS OF LAW (left) running at odds of 14-1 with Oneil Mullings aboard, is about to overtake the favourite HARMONICS (Kevin Blake) in the closing stages of the 1600-metre feature race for the Alty McKenzie Memorial Cup at Caymanas Park on Wednesday. WHEELS OF LAW is owned by Kary Neale and trained by Robert Darby Sr. Mullings rode three winners on the card. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
It's Pre-Derby Hall of Fame Day at Caymanas Park, the well supported 11-race programme featuring the 13th running of the 3-y-o and up open allowance race for the Hall of Fame Stakes Trophy (Grade II) over 1200 metres.
This is an ideal race for sprinters on the way to the top class. Last year, for instance, the race was won by the subsequent champion sprinter MUSICAL MAESTRO in a blanket finish also involving CALABASH BAY, MEDICAL REPORT, the top sprinter so far this season, and CLASSY BOY PETE.
Whether today's field includes another MUSICAL MAESTRO or MEDICAL REPORT is left to be seen.
Eight starters have been declared, including the top three-year-old sprinter SUPER DAVE, the consistent CRUCIAL POINT, down-in-class ROMEZ and the super fit RIGMAROLE, who showed the top sprinters in the land a clean pair of heels for a long way in the recent $1 million Lotto Sprint Trophy (Grade I) over 1100 metres, won by MEDICAL REPORT.
Raced prominently
The above-mentioned quartet contested the May 24 Lotto Sprint and indications are the winner will come from this group. In that race, the Philip Feanny-trained SUPER DAVE raced prominently to finish 33/4 lengths fifth, while Anthony Ferguson's CRUCIAL POINT was not too far behind in seventh place, 53/4 lengths away.
RIGMAROLE weakened into ninth place, 10 lengths away, with ROMEZ finishing last of the 11 runners, but should prove competitive now dropped in class.
Strictly at the weights, the two I expect to fight out the finish are SUPER DAVE, who totes a mere 51.0kg under five-time champion jockey Trevor Simpson and CRUCIAL POINT, the mount of champion jockey Omar Walker.
Both are nicely off at the weights and should CRUCIAL POINT reproduce his good second to MEDICAL REPORT in the April 26 Lady Geeta Trophy over the distance, he could well be unsaddled in the winners' enclosure.
Back among peers
Still, preference is for the very speedy three-year-old colt SUPER DAVE, who is back among his peers in quest of this trophy.
The dark bay colt by Royal Minister out of Mississippi Train beat a good field over the distance on April 26 in the fairly good time of 1:12.3 and given his decent effort in the Lotto Sprint, when having CRUCIAL POINT two lengths behind, he thus gets the vote.
Co-feature on the card is the 3-y-o and up overnight allowance race over 2000 metres for the Reynold 'Ren' Gonzalves Memorial Cup to be contested by 12 starters, including last year's Lotto Classic winner IL CAIMANO, the consistent filly SCHIZANDRA, as well as GOOD COMPANY, who finished a close third in last November's Superstakes and looks the one to beat with the trip now ideal.
Other firm fancies on the card are LADY SUHAAGRATT in the third race, DIABOLICAL KID to go one better in the fourth, SOY MUJER to do likewise in the fifth, SAMMY OH SO in the seventh and JET SKI D'OR over another course specialist, HIGH ROLLER, in the closing race over the straight.
