The highlight of the first race day for the new promoter of horse racing, Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited is the seven-and-a-half furlongs (1,500m) Chairman’s Trophy.

The race features the first start this season for reigning Horse of the Year Seeking My Dream. Five other starters are pitted against the Wayne DaCosta-trained, now five-year-old chestnut horse.

While many pundits will see this race as a slam dunk for S eeking My Dream, one just has to remember March 12, 2016. It was on that day that Franfield, trained by Richard Azan, defeated Seeking My Dream in this same race.

The Complete Racing Guide analyses the six runners in the 2017 edition of the Chairman’s Trophy.

FRANFIELD —Franfield has already raced once this season over six-and-a-half furlongs, (1,300m) finishing third behind Campesino and Brawn. That distance was somewhat short for his liking and the extra furlong now afforded by tomorrow’s race should see Franfield in a better position to win. There is no real speed in this race, so if apprentice Bebeto Harvey can stay with the pace, look for Franfield to be at his best in the last furlong and a half. Trainer Richard Azan has been having a rather lean 2017, scoring his first winner, Rogamma, on Saturday last. A win here would certainly bring back a lot of smiles within the Azan camp. Franfield has done it already and, with his noted class, can do it again. Don’t for one moment rule out the chances ofFranfield, even with the presence of Seeking My Dream. He is a determined racehorse.

HOVER CRAFT — A worthy old stager who is tough and resilient, Hover Craft won first time out this season, but that was at the Overnight Allowance Level. He was not present on February 25 when Pinelope gave a rude awakening to all and sundry. Hover Craft is sure to be doing his best work in the closing stages of this race and should be in the frame when this one is over, but is not given a realistic chance of winning. His habit of being slow from the starting gate will not help his cause.

BRAWN – Defeated Franfield already this year in the same six-and-a-half-furlong (1,300m) race on February 18 won by Campesino. This imported bay gelding trained by Gary Subratie is a good competitor with some class, and has not properly set his stall at the top level. He is quite versatile and a win here tomorrow will be a strong statement of his intentions going forward. One cannot understand though the choice of Percy Williams as the preferred rider, but we will wait and see the outcome of this new association.

ROYAL VIBES — Has been around for quite a while now and has already faced the starter five times this season with one win to show for his efforts. One can never know which Royal Vibes is going to turn up for battle on any given day, but even if the right Royal Vibes comes to the Chairman’s party, he will not win.

MR AMBASSADOR — More than likely will lead this race as he has been doing in most of his six starts to date in 2017.Mr Ambassador’s effort will peter out when the big guns come a calling with four furlongs (400m) to go.

SEEKING MY DREAM – Still the only winner of the Diamond Mile, he is now at age five and the leading money winner in the annals of local racing with earnings of over $24 million. Seeking My Dream has been, as is usually the case, well prepared for this engagement, galloping five and a half furlongs in 1:05.1 seconds on February 25. Seeking My Dream returned on Saturday March 4 and galloped six furlongs in a pleasing 1:11.4 seconds. He is the top-rated horse in the land and even though this is his first run in 2017, is sufficiently seasoned to make a winning return even with his old nemesis Franfield in the race. The distance is right, the preparation has been good, paving the way for a triumphant return by Seeking My Dream.