FIVE-year-old dark bay mare Lady Wales, who opened her winning account on January 2, will seek to maintain that winning form against seven rivals in the competitive $528,000 Colin Melhado Memorial Cup at Caymanas Park today.

The 1,200 metres contest headlines the 10-race programme which also features the $458,000 Track Price Plus "Dig Out" Handicap -- Race #3 closing event over 1,500 metres for $180,000 claimers, three-year-olds and upward. First post is 12:45 pm.

Meanwhile, champion jockey Omar Walker, who had one win from his two rides when returning to the saddle last Saturday, has what appears to be six live rides on the programme.

Lady Wales, in the meantime, was a promising three-year-old who is now settling down to her racing after failing to realise her early promise. She was therefore lost to claiming where she has performed with consistency at the mid and lower claiming levels where she accumulated five wins from 38 career starts.

She has shown marked improvement in her last 10 starts, being in the frame eight times from her last 10 starts with three wins. The last was on January 2 when running on a $400,000 ticket. She was then neglected in the betting as a 14-1 chance but recovered from a slow start to upset her more fancied rivals over 1,500 metres after returning a smart 1:35.1 to win by 1 3/4 lengths.

Today Lady Wales will be coming in at a slightly higher tag at $425,000, but will not be overwhelmed by the opposition and being something of a specialist over the distance, could easily repeat.

Lightweight jockey Delroy Beharie, who was aboard in her upset victory on last, has again been called to the saddle by trainer Ryan Darby.

Her main rivals in this competitive trophy race could be any of her seven rivals but her fiercest could manifest in the down in grade Bullet Train, the very fit Danielle My Girl, the struggling Dancing Sam and the up in grade Good Sense, a runaway winner over 1,000 metres straight on Boxing Day.

Another who must have a serious look in is the four-year-old grey filly Ming Lei, who showed on last that she can hold her own at this level with a good third over 1,300 metres. She was beaten by the out-of-class Coleman's Rock and Rigged To Win, whom she allowed 3.0kg each. She was never worst than second throughout and was only run out of it in the final 200 metres.

But with the opposition not as fierce and the distance reduced and being the youngest in the field, the daughter of Tracking is again expected to take a hand in the finish under stronger handling from jockey Richard Mitchell, who has replaced Carlton Malcolm for trainer Andrew McDonald.

The presence of Walker aboard Good Sense and Paul Francis on Danielle My Girl this has added a peculiar competitive edge to the event that could come down to these two fighting out the finish with the Fitzgerald Richards-conditioned Good Sense given a slight edge in the final strides to the wire.

ONES TO WATCH

Race 1 She'samaharanee (Shane Ellis)

Race 2 Piccolo (Omar Walker)

Race 3 Good Sense (Omar Walker)

Race 4 Green Hornet (Richard Mairs)

Race 5 Diabolical Kid (Omar Walker)

Race 6 Golden Harvest (Omar Walker)

Race 7 Sergeant Stonehan (Rayan Wilson)

Race 8 Heart Of Gold (Omar Walker)

Race 9 Skittle Queen (Omar Walker)

Race 10 Absolute Stormer (Aaron Chatrie)

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  4 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  2 comments

  1 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments