IF nothing else, the 40th running of the $1,500,000 CTL Gold Cup, (Gr 1) feature at Caymanas Park today will be competitive down to the final stride.

The race will be contested over 1,400 metres by six top contestants who are very effective over the distance and any of the declared starters could emerge a winner in the event that is scheduled to be run at approximately 4:40 pm. First post is at noon.

The principal feature on the 11-race card that also includes the $715,000 Jamaica Racehorse Owners’ Association Trophy, the Gold Cup, will be contested among Graded Stakes three-year-olds upward. The Jamaica Racehorse Owners secondary feature event has attracted seven starters and will be contested among Overnight Allowance, three-year-olds upward, over 2,000 metres.

Reigning champion Sprinter Saint Cecelia, who was caught close to home under top weight of 60.5kg by the lightweight eventual winner Hail The Genius (48.0kg), will again carry top weight of 57.0kg and seem to have no easier task in this edition to come out victorious as the speedy five-year-old chest mare will face a battery of in-form runners.

Among them are Mark My Word, the reigning Horse-Of-The-Year who won the Superstakes for the second year in succession; Commanding Chief, the St Leger winner; the in-form US imports, Emperor Hall and Sir Von, along with stablemate The Guv.

Owned by Stephen A & WP Valentine Chung and prepared for the races by Spencer Chung, Saint Cecelia is by Burning Marque out of She’s On Wheels (Bates Motel) bred at Ham Stables Ltd. A winner of five of her eight races this season with a second and two third place finishes, the speedy daughter of Burning Marque has been prepared with the intent on reversing last year’s narrow loss and having responded well should leave her rival chasing hooves after turning for home 3.5kg lighter than she did last year.

Shane Ellis, who rode the filly to her last two successes, will again do duty in the saddle.

The strange thing with this race is if for some reason, trainer Chung misses with his trump card, stablemate The Guv who has been taking his own sweet time getting his act together with the lightweight, could emulate last year’s feat of Hail The Genius as he will enter the fray with a

mere 50.0kg.

The five-year-old grey horse has been marking time all season with just one win to his credit and could now strike a deadly blow to the pride of his more illustrious rivals. Also part owned by the Chungs and Howard Hamilton, The Guv will be ridden by Paul Francis.