There are no trophy races on the midweek nine-race card at Caymanas Park today, but the day will be teeming with excitement as second and third runners-up of the 2,000 Guineas, Orpheus and Chace The Great lock horns in race three of the card going 1,820 metres.

There is also an incendiary-looking penultimate eighth race of Open Allowance runners going 1,100 metres for a purse of $845,000 that includes Campesino,Crucial Appeal, Edison, Shining Light andBrawn, among other hot steppers.

The performances of Classic aspirants Orpheus and Chace The Great are crucial to the upcoming top three-year-old Classic — the Jamaica Derby, and encouraging runs are paramount to their preparation.

A fair field of six will go to post at approximately 2:10 pm in the imported three-year-old and upward NW3 and maidens; native-bred four-year-olds (NW3) other than and native-bred three-year-olds Restricted Stakes call for a purse of $768,000. The first post at 1:10 pm.

Apart from Gary Glitter, who was prominent throughout the 2,000 Guineas, but finished in deep stretch when the pace quickened, and Chace The Great drifted off a true line.

On the other hand, when Orpheus came running he maintained a true line while digging in close to home. In this small field with the reduced talent pool and despite the presence of Gary Glitter, the race cannot be much more than a straight fight betweenOrpheus and Chace The Great.

And were Orpheus to maintain his current form, as he did in the 2,000 Guineas, then the Elias Haloute-bred and owned chestnut colt, trained by Anthony Nunes, should prevail as the winner.

The manner in which he picked off horses when leaping forward at the fading Future King in the dying moments of the 2,000 Guineas is ample reason for him to again finish ahead of both Chace The Great and Gary Glitter.

Meanwhile, the consistent Campesino, trained by many-time champion Philip Feanny should get the job done in the nine-horse field. Stiff competition is expected to come from Crucial Appeal, who is down in class, and the ultra-fit Shining Light.

Ones To Watch

Race 1

Demolition Boy (Linton Steadman)

Race 2

Mom’s Student (Bebeto Harvey)

Race 3

Orpheus (Shane Ellis)

Race 4

Bad Boy Justin (Shane Ellis)

Race 5

Our Creation (Odean Edwards)

Race 6

Auntie Rhonda (Shane Ellis)

Race 7

Hawkeye (Shane Ellis)

Race 8

Campesino (Linton Steadman)

Race 9

Genuine Article (Omar Walker)