THIS year’s renewal of the prestigious Cal’s Tomato Ketchup Gold Cup has been blessed with 15 entries headed by Horse of the Year, the four-year-old filly, She’s A Maneater. The Cal’s Tomato Ketchup Gold Cup is down for competition on Saturday next (October 13, 2018) at Caymanas Park over seven furlongs (1,400 metres).

The Wayne DaCosta-trained She’s A Maneater has been asked by the handicappers to tote top weight of 126 lbs (57.0 kgs), thus allowing eight pounds (3.5 kgs) to the ultra-consistent and bang in form Will In Charge, who is under the conditioning care of trainer Robert Pearson.

The anticipated clash involving She’s A Maneater and Will In Charge is expected to raise the decibel levels at the Park come Saturday, as they are arguably the best and most talented horses in training at the moment. Bragging rights will certainly be had at the end of this race.

Next in line is the reigning sprint champion Chace The Great, who hails from the barn of trainer Dwight Chen. Chace The Great has been handicapped with 110 lbs (50.0), which is the minimum weight that is officially allowed for races in Jamaica.

Provisionally entered is the talented Bigdaddykool, who is under the shedrow of trainer Anthony Nunes. Bigdaddykool is making a comeback to competitive racing, if he starts, as he has not raced in a while, having to deal with injury issues. The Cal’s Tomato Ketchup Gold Cup may well be an introductory race for Bigdaddykool, as he aims for the longer Superstakes run in early November over 10- furlongs (2,000m) — a distance he much prefers and is better at — and, of course, the Diamond Mile in early December — a race in which he has finished second in the last two years. Bigdaddykool was originally asked to carry 106 lbs (48.0 kgs) by the handicappers but will have to be saddled with 110 lbs.

Houdini’s Magic, also trained by Nunes, seems to be off the boil in recent times comes in next, followed by the ever-trying filly Money Magnet trained by Richard Azan. Both are strong competitors and may well have a telling say in the outcome of the Cal’s Tomato Ketchup Gold Cup.

Leading the next level of provisional entries in this race is the Patrick Lynch-trained Another Bullet and another entry from the Nunes camp, Siempre Bueno. Another Bullet is almost certain to start and, with his known ability and toughness is guaranteed to put in a good effort, while Siempre Bueno has to be razor-sharp to be in the frame.

A rather interesting entry is this year’s winner of the Jamaica Oaks, the precocious filly Fayrouz, who on last produced probably her best run ever to beat a top-rated field in the class below-Open Allowance. That race was over seven and a half furlongs (1,500 metres), making the seven furlongs of the Cal’s Gold Cup right in her style of running.

The rest of the field is completed by the usual suspects, including Hover Craft, the getting-on-in-years Perfect Neighbour — a past winner of this event, Dysfunctional, Dontae, Uncle Frank and Sarah Lee.

Final nominations and the draw for post positions in the Gold Cup takes place today at the Racing Office (Caymanas Park), with scratch time set for Wednesday.