DESPITE only having one run under his belt this season, the Rowan Mathie-trained God of Love, from exercise reports, appears the prime candidate to take the $1.29million Reggae Month Trophy feature race at Caymanas Park today.

The three-year-old and up Open Allowance race, which has a small field of six horses, is expected to be a thrilling race going five furlongs (1,000 meters) straight, due to the abundance of talent in the field. If all of the strong candidates perform as expected a close and exciting finish may be in store.

Travelling six furlongs (1,200m) on January 14, God of Love finished third by just 2 1/4 lengths behind I’ve Got Magic and Duke in the St Catherine Cup. Although second-place Duke is present, God of Love is more than capable of turning the tables around and beating the rest of the field as well.

Positioned as the seventh event on the nine-race card, the Reggae Month Trophy is expected to go off at 3:35 pm, with the first post at noon.

God of Love (Adore the Gold – Shanda D), in his latest gallop coming into this race, worked five furlongs (1,000m) straight out of the starting gates in a smooth 1:00.1, with the first four furlongs (800m) done in 47.0 on Saturday, February 11. Champion jockey Dane Dawkins has been called upon for riding duties, carrying a top weight of 57.0 kg (126 lb).

Duke and Lure of Lucy should also be in the running for top honours here while Laban and

Curlin’s Affair are expected to do well. Taurus Boy, who completed the field, won’t be a factor.

Duke is a very consistent, run-on sprinter who has a known likeness for the fivestraight. With Laban, Lure of Lucy and God of Love anticipated on the front end, this trophy race could fall in the lap of a come-from-behind sprinter like Duke.

Duke, a seven-year-old grey horse by Casual Trick out of Bop Lady Macbeth, has been well prepared by his trainer Gary Subratie for this race. Duke has raced three times this season, finishing second twice and third once. On February 4 he finished third behind Mahogany and She’s My Destiny over six and a half furlongs (1,300 m) in the Eileen Cliggott Memorial Cup. Duke, given the race conditions and his running style, could lead home rivals — but he has to be at his very best to achieve his 14th career victory. Robert Halledeen rides.

The American-bred Lure of Lucy is a capable runner who has won six races from 22 starts on local soil. Lure of Lucy will be travelling this distance for the first time but she is full of class and talent and could play a significant role in the eventual outcome.

The Jason Dacosta trainee finished third in the Alexander Hamilton Trophy (six furlongs, 1,200m) on January 28, just 2 1/4 lengths behind I’ve Got Magic and Duke. Prior to that, she made one move to win the Fan Appreciation Day Trophy over nine furlongs and 25 yards (1,820m) on January 2. She will be a serious factor here as Omar Walker remains in the irons for the fourth-consecutive time.

Laban, trained by Richard Azan, was an easy lengthand-half winner over seven furlongs (1,400m) on November 20 of last year in a time of 1:26.1, however that was in the class below. But Laban, who is making his seasonal debut, is more than capable of doing well, especially coming off a break. Former three-time champion jockey Anthony Thomas is back in the saddle.

Curlin’s Affair had won in January over this distance, which he seems to enjoy, defeating Prncsshootingstar by a length and a half in 58.2 seconds. If he can repeat that performance then the Anthony Nunes trainee should make this race very interesting for the favourites.

Nothing much can be said of Taurus as he is stepping up in grade and now faces much stiffer opposition. He should learn from this outing.