Smokey Topaz to highlight mid-week card
Last year’s 1000 Guineas winner Puddy Pooh will make a second attempt to open her fouryear- old racing career, this time over the 1,000 metres straight course in an Open Allowance call at Caymanas Park today.
In the absence of a designated feature race for the mid-week 10-race card, the Open Allowance call for threeyear- olds and upward, is the highlight that has attracted seven runners. Post time is set at approximately 4:45 pm with the first post at 12:45 pm.
The race is a straight fight between five four-year-olds headed by Puddy Pooh and a six-year-old and a seven-year old headed by top Grade One Gold Cup winning sprinter of two seasons ago, Potcheen.
Based on current showing the race seems poised for a three-way tussle between Royal Assault, who is trying to close out a hat-trick of wins, having brought his three-yearold form into his fourth year with a win on last, Smokey Topaz and Puddy Pooh.
All three runners have been working industriously with Puddy Pooh, giving the indication that he must not be opposed by setting the track alight with some exciting spins at exercise.
Bred, owned and trained by Richard Azan, Puddy Pooh will be ridden by the claiming apprentice Odeen Edwards.
Royal Assault, despite his continuing good performances, his trainer Anthony Nunes seems not to be leaving anything to chance and has him sharp to meet the occasion.
Lightweight jockey Paul Francis will ride. Smokey Topaz, a campaigner at this level for his last two starts, is another who has been also well drilled to be competitive throughout. Trained by Marlon Anderson, Dane Nelson will ride.
Despite being six- and seven- year-old, respectively, the down in grade stablemates Pete’swildone and Potcheen are no back numbers.
They did not show the youthful aggression on the exercise track, but Potcheen has done enough to suggest that he is fit enough to fight even though trainer Harry Parsard has gone for Javvanne Erwin in preference to the champion jockey Shane Ellis.
And should the young guns go too fast too soon Potcheen with his late turn of foot could drop on the field like a ton of bricks.
Ones to watchRace 1 Blue Dixie (Dane Nelson)Race 2 King D (Oniel Mullings)Race 3 Bongo King (Shane Ellis)Race 4 Big Data (Dane Nelson)Race 5 King Diamond (Javaniel Patterson)Race 6 Wicked Tuff (Ruja Lahoe)Race 7 Girshom (Linton Steadman)Race 8 Fire Alarm (Dane Nelson)Race 9 Smokey Topaz (Dane Nelson)Race 10 Cause For Concern (Jevvanne Erwin)
Ones to watch
Race 1 Blue Dixie (Dane Nelson)
Race 2 King D (Oniel Mullings)
Race 3 Bongo King (Shane Ellis)
Race 4 Big Data (Dane Nelson)
Race 5 King Diamond (Javaniel Patterson)
Race 6 Wicked Tuff (Ruja Lahoe)
Race 7 Girshom (Linton Steadman)
Race 8 Fire Alarm (Dane Nelson)
Race 9 Smokey Topaz (Dane Nelson)
Race 10 Cause For Concern (Jevvanne Erwin)