A simmering three-trophy programme of racing highlighted by the Seymour ‘Foggy’ Mullings Memorial Trophy, Open Allowance call, at Caymanas Park today will usher in the exhilarating Christmas Festival of horse racing to be headlined by the ultra-rich Supreme Ventures Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes on Boxing Day at Caymanas Park.

The two other sponsored races on the 10-race card are the $715,000 Joseph Armond Memorial Trophy featuring Restricted Allowance II native-bred three-year-olds (NW2) which opens the programme going 1,820 metres and imported three-year-olds upward maiden, and the $528,000 Paul Newman Memorial Trophy among the $450,000 down to $400,000 claiming spread, three-year-olds upward and native-bred five-year-olds (NW4) going 1,600 metres.

The Seymour ‘Foggy’ Mullings, the penultimate race on the card, has attracted a good field of eight going 1,500 metres and is scheduled to go to post at approximately 4:30 pm with first post at

12:20 pm.

The ‘Foggy’ Mullings is expected to be a competitive affair with the Owen Sharpe-conditioned Red Flag looking quite likely to start as the firm favourite to go all the way. Red Flag, a five-year-old bay gelded son of Pat N Jac out of Yankee Princess (America’s Pal), has proved in the past to be a cut above these, but since stepping down to this level has failed to enter the winner’s enclosure.

Nonetheless, his second to last run showed that he is returning to his old self and with the distance well within his capability and has been working well coming into the event, there is every indication that at 52.0kg he is weighted to open his five-year-old winning account.

Red Flag’s last victory at this level came over 1,700 metres as a four-year-old. He then moved up to Open Allowance to beat Lady Macbet and Jet Setter. A seeming loss of form saw the gelded son of Pat N Jac stepping down to this level in his fifth year, and with five runs in the grade, his best finish was over 1,200 metres on November 17.

In his last run going 1,600 metres, he ran out of steam in the company of Argument Done, Jah Love and Traditional Prince to finish 6 1/2 lengths sixth on November 27. Following a short respite, he returns well-trained in a much weaker field and should easily put it away.

Despite not the force of yesteryear at this level, the high-level claiming giant, Classic Beau, has won three of his last five starts and lost narrowly in his last over today’s distance on December 15. Trained by Ryan Darby for owner Evangeline C Livingston, Classic Beau returns 7.0kg better off at the scales with the top 10th-placed claiming apprentice Prince ‘Daggerman’ Holder up, should bring fitness into play and give the favourite most to do with only a feather to carry. Nuh Vex, ridden by Dick Cardenas, and Double Button, under Aaron Chatrie, are also expected to figure. With Miss Boss Lady thrown in for good measure.

Ones To Watch

Race 1 Ettu Oracle (Dick Cardenas)

Race 2 Jovoun The Master (Dane Nelson)

Race 3 Border Line (Dane Nelson)

Race 4 Eminence Grise (Prince Holder)

Race 5 Meru (Omar Walker)

Race 6 Franfield (Dane Nelson)

Race 7 Fly Miracle (Paul Francis)

Race 8 Jesse James (Richard Lunan)

Race 9 Red Flag (JNE)

Race 10 Royal Line (Dane Nelson