Sotomayor, a promising grey colt, in preparation for the Classic races, is set to take on older horses for the first time. He will do so as he makes his seasonal debut in the Ash Wednesday Trophy feature at Caymanas Park today.

The Ash Wednesday Trophy, an Overnight Allowance event for three-year-olds and upwards, is one of two trophy races carded on the nine-race midweek programme.

The Clifford Stewart Memorial Cup, a claiming ($250,000-$210,000) event for three-year-olds and upward that includes native-bred five-year-olds (NW2) and six-year-olds and upwards (NW4), is the other trophy race on the card. Here, a field of 12 is declared to go 1,200 metres for a purse of $530,000.

In the Ash Wednesday Trophy call, Sotomayor, winner of the Supreme Ventures Limited Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes, looked all set for his three-year-old debut run 10 days ago, but was declared a late non-starter due to minor injury. Now fully recovered, the grey colt byTraditional out of the Left Banker mare Runaway Julie looks all set for a lively run against an admixture of older horses going 1,300 metres for a purse of $780,000.

The Ash Wednesday Trophy feature, which has attracted a full field of 16 runners, is set to go to post approximately 4:50 pm, with the first post at 1:20 pm.

Also in the line-up are the promising four-year-old chestnut gelding Chace The Great, the speedy Talented Tony K, American-bred Uppa Tune, Uncle Taf, Another Bullet, Classy Aviator and the ultra-consistent Birdie My Love, formerly Bird Catcher, owned and trainer by Fitzroy Glispie.

Sotomayor, trained by Anthony Nunes for owners David Miller and Stephan Narinesingh, did not win by much over the fillyShe’s A Maneater going 1,600 metres in the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes last Boxing Day, but in a field such as this. He should use his obvious class to take the event over a journey which is a little too short for his best.

However, the presence of Uppa Tune could change the whole complexion of this race. The eight-year-old bay horse, from his exercise reports, is still a potent force to be reckoned with at this level and, with Richard Mitchell called to the saddle, could surprise all.Sotomayor may have to be ridden for all he is worth by the claiming apprentice Linton Steadman.

Two other promising Classic aspirants, Money Magnet and Fearless Samurai, will also engage in preparatory runs in a Restricted Stakes event going 1,100 metres for a purse of $768,000.

Here Money Magnet and Fearless Samurai will battle Simply The Best, Mesmerize, Bubbling Kitten and Vision for pride of place and the major share of the purse. Another three-year-old Armageddon is present, but earlier in the season trainer Wayne DaCosta informed that his charge would not enter the Classic races.

Also carded is a native-bred three-year-old maiden condition race going 1,200 metres for a similar purse of $768,000. Twelve will run, with

Lucky Stroke, Paintthistownred, Nuclear Commander, Pleasant Secret and Bruce Wayne seeming to be the lead contenders for the top spot.

The bang-in-form Race 1Race 2Race 3Race 4Race 5Race 6 CRace 7Race 8Race 9

The bang-in-form Light Brigade, the consistent Bars In Gold and Cheers will battle for top honour in the Clifford Stewart Memorial Cup.

Ones To Watch

Race 1

Bimini, Elvira, Differentgeneration

Race 2

Deputy Headgirl, Rawalpindi Express, Mr Success

Race 3

Fearless Samurai, Money Magnet, Simply The Best

Race 4

Bruce Wayne, Paintthistownred, Nuclear Commander

Race 5

Old Breton, Vision, Counter Attack

Race 6 C

heers, Bars Of Gold, Laguna Point

Race 7

Ritchie’s Pik, Tracking Daniel, Stormonthesea

Race 8

Sotomayor, Uppa Tune, Chace The Great

Race 9

Flying Machine, Photogenic, A Vessel Of Love