CONTENDERS for the Jamaica 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas native-bred three-year-old opening Classic races scheduled for April 5 are making their final run in two trial stakes events and other races at Caymanas Park today.

The 19th running of the Prince Consorts Stakes for colts and geldings and the Thornbird Stakes for fillies are the prep races scheduled to provide some of the country's top native-bred three-year-olds with their final warm-up-run.

Both races will be run over 1,400 metres for a purse of $1.3 million each and will share top billing on a well-supported 10-race card. First post is 1:10 pm.

While last year's champion two-year-old performer Al Fouzia and the promising Excellence will headline a maximum field of 16 in the fillies Guineas, the exciting prospect Lifeisjustforliving, who is unbeaten in two career starts, will lead the colts and geldings in the seven-horse field for the 2,000 Guineas in the absence of Colonel Wales the champion two-year-old who won the prestigious Supreme Ventures Limited Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes over 1,600 metres on Boxing Day last year.

Colonel Wales, owned by Ruth Hussey and trained by son Percival, will also run on the programme, but will make his seasonal debut in the more competitive $715,000 Overnight Allowance (NW1) three-year-olds and upward over a similar distance of 1,400 metres. Trevor Simpson, who had the leg up on the bay colt by Region Of Merit out of November Lace (Peaks And Valleys) will again ride.

With the absence of Colonel Wales among the colts and geldings it looks a simple task for the Church Pen Farm-owned Lifeisjustforliving, who demonstrated on last that he could develop into a very fine sprinter in whom trainer Wayne DaCosta has a great deal of confidence. "He's among the top draw sprinters around and at present he is definitely leagues above his three-year-old counterparts in sprinting. Whether he could get a mile or not it remains to be seen. As I said before he is bred along sprinting lines, but has an enormous amount of class so you never can tell he might just get a distance of ground," said DaCosta, following Lifeisjustforliving's comprehensive victory over some of today's rivals by laying them to waste in a brisk 1:12.1 for 1,200 metres in the Sir Howard Stakes on February 20.

It was only the chestnut gelding, who is by Region Of Merit out of Bold Queen (Cannon Shell), second outing and he won by a handsome eight widening lengths to complement his debut victory of 8 1/2 lengths over 1,000 metres round two weeks earlier. He continues to show improvement in his exercise gallops for his longest distance to date and indications are that he will not be easily beaten with champion jockey Omar Walker remaining aboard.

The ones expected to be closest to Lifeisjustforliving in the final strides to the wire could include his stable mate Trial Lawyer, the mount of claiming apprentice Jevvanne Erwin, who before Lifeisjustforliving emerged would have been a leading contender for top honours, Kryptogram, who was a distant second to Lifeisjustforliving on last, will be partnered by Dick Cardenas, Junior Minister, who was disqualified on last, to be ridden by Aaron Chatrie and the enigmatic Rolex, the chestnut son of A King Is Born, with Doushane Gordon in the saddle.

As a two-year-old Al Fouzia had the beating of her sex but turning three could present a more serious challenge as other fillies have come on since with the growing prominence of Excellence, Merit'sBrite Lite, Gabiwitzo, Lady Geetadeo, Hera and Soca Party.

Owned by Farasfhal Farm and trained by Rohan Mathie, the bay filly by Legal Process out of Lady Bakul will make her seasonal debut giving lumps of weight all round, but has been sufficiently prepared to go on from where she left off as a two-year-old as she has worked enterprisingly.

With the field looking to present a stern challenge at these weights trainer Mathie is not leaving anything to chance and has called for the strong handling of jockey Dane Nelson.

Her chief obstacle to victory could well be Excellence. The Derrick Smith-owned chestnut filly threw in a clinker in the Hotline Stakes on February 20 when she missed the break and never recovered to finish a floundering fifth as the 1-2 favourite. A chestnut daughter of Traditional out of Pleasant Company (Repreive), Excellence could, however, recover and show her readiness for the Classics by going all the way in her prep as she has suffered no ill effects and has gone well at exercise. For this she will return in better competitive shape and being confidently expected to be around at the finish on this occasion, trainer DaCosta has again called for the services of stable jockey Walker to pilot her.

Ones To Watch

Race 1 Sir Von (Omar Walker)

Race 2 Jungle Queen (Omar Walker)

Race 3 Colonel Wales (Trevor Simpson)

Race 4 Magdala (Wesley Henry)

Race 5 That's My Market (Omar Walker)

Race 6 Miss Lee (Winston Griffiths)

Race 7 Excellence (Omar Walker)

Race 8 Ching Sing (Robert Stewart)

Race 9 Lifeisjustforliving (Omar Walker)

Race 10 Skipping Sue (Lenroy Collins)

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