The $1,100,000 Prime Minister's Stakes for Grade One horses is always a fiercely competitive affair, and today's 46th run-ning of the event to highlight the Independence Day two-trophy midweek programme at Caymanas Park will be no different.

The $330,000 Independence Day Stakes Trophy claiming contest is the other trophy race on the 10-race programme with first post at 1:00 pm.

While bottom of the barrel $180,000 claimers, four-year-olds and upward who have started for a claiming tag of between $170,000 and $180,000 since April 6 will do their thing in the Independence Day Trophy over 1,600 metres, their more illustrious counterparts will be in a more demanding role as they set out to prove their staying ability over 2,000 metres in the feature.

While now competing at the lowest rung of the racing scale in the Independence Day Trophy event, today's running of the Prime Minister's Stakes has significance for Sir Mohandas Baba.

A celebrated son Sir Lal Bahadur, Sir Mohandas Baba, who continues to soldier on at the ripe 'young' age of 12 years, is formerly a top Grade One performer with victories in the Legal Light Trophy, The Viceroy Trophy and today's feature race, the Prime Minister's Stakes. He probably should have been retired years ago with his unsound pins but likes winning races and not yet being a back number, should he remain sound throughout the race, could brush these aside for his 20th career win. Clive Lynch will ride.

His main rivals for victory are the inform Le Chic with Oneil Mullings astride, Thunder Clap with champion and leading rider Omar Walker in the saddle, and Allegro, partnered by Robert Reid.

The Prime Minister's Stakes feature looks an intriguing contest and it can readily be whittled down to a match between Rum Talk, Major Mayer and Allied Force. However, marginal preference is given to the Philip Feanny-trained Rum Talk.

The Royal Minister bay colt won last year's renewal and although facing formidable opponents and carrying 8.0kg more, the manner in which he returned to the track for his seasonal debut with a blistering 1:38.3 run for 1,600 metres, it will take a very good per-formance from either of the aforementioned rivals to lower his colours.

The problem for his opponents will be what strategy to adopt to get the better of him. In his final race last year over today's distance in the Superstakes he seemed to be burdened by 54.0kg.

He, however, returned this year with 57.0kg and looked to have grown in stature and made light work of his opponents. Known as a late runner, he seems a different animal this season, as Allen Maragh who will again ride, puts him in front for his seasonal debut and he literally waltzed away from his opponents.

Up 2.5kg more than on last and even going farther, Rum Talk should not be unduly bothered as Major Mayer, who destroyed him in the Superstakes last season, will himself be burdened with top weight of 60.5kg and will not have things his own way.

On the surface there was sufficient encouragement in his seasonal appearance effort to suggest that Rum Talk may begin to fulfil his early promise this season and should be well suited by the test this race will present and can be expected to run a big one.

Alliedforce, who like Rum Talk carried a similar light impost in the event last season, will now also carry 59.5kg with Omar Walker up, and with the weight differentials not expected to be expressly overbearing to the pretenders, the battle for parity will rage loud and clear after the horses turn for home.

Should the big weight take its toll among the big guns then it should be left to the three-year-old Accompong with the light weight and Paul Francis up to stake a claim for his pound of flesh. He finished fast on last to take second spot from Mucho Gusto behind Musical Maestro in the BG&LC over 1,400 metres and with 2,000 still within his sights, is expected to give another workmanlike performance.

Ones To Watch

Race 1 Unbreakable Heart (Omar Walker)
Race 2 Lady Kaloutie (David McKenzie)
Race 3 Good Company (Trevor Simpson)
Race 4 Sir Mohandas Baba (Clive Lynch)
Race 5 Royal Dreamer (Omar Walker)
Race 6 Flame Of Victory (Clive Lynch)
Race 7 Queen Of My Heart (Omar Walker)
Race 8 Felicidad (Ameth Robles)
Race 9 Rum Talk (Allen Maragh)
Race 10 Dolla Win (Omar Walker)

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