Consistency, patience, and confidence may pay off for the connections D Head Cornerstone as the five-year-old bay horse takes on seven competitors for top honours in today’s $1.25-million Lloyd Lindbergh “Lindy” Delapenha Memorial Trophy feature at Caymanas Park.

Since his triumph on July 29, 2023, D Head Cornerstone has gone winless. However, the Gary Subratie trainee has been a picture of consistency, finishing no worse than fifth in his following nine races, including five top-three finishes.

On January 1, The Bern Identity – Soul Of The Heart offspring finished a creditable third by six lengths behind Neo Star and stablemate Sensational Move in the Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited’s Fan Appreciation Day Trophy over nine furlongs and 25 yards (1,820 metres).

The race time was 1:55.3, with D Head Cornerstone finishing in 1:56.4. None of the horses in the field have run faster over the distance. However, this race is not scheduled for nine furlongs and 25 yards; instead, it is intended to go over one mile (1,600m), which opens the door to a competitive race because most of the runners are well suited to the distance.

Further and Beyond, as well as Divine Force, now enter the picture, and this race could become a three-horse contest to the wire.

Based only on consistency, D Head Cornerstone has the advantage, and with former champion jockey Dane Dawkins returning to the saddle, the confidence level has improved, making
D Head Cornerstone the one to defeat here.

The Overnight Allowance contest for three-year-olds and upward is positioned as the seventh event on the nine race card with a post time of 3:50 pm with the first race at noon.

Former Horse of the Year Further and Beyond is slowly but surely finding his footing. Since his return to competitive racing on June 10, 2023 following surgery, Further and Beyond has raced five times, winning one, finishing second once and came in third place one.

His last effort was on December 16, 2023, where he came home in third position behind
Sistren Treasure, Sonny T, and Chippy over today’s distance.
Further and Beyond has been training fairly well since and if he is anywhere near his best, he should put these away very easily, but that’s left to be seen. However, he is more than capable enough to secure a win here.

Divine Force, a four-year-old American-bred bay colt, was winner over seven-and-a-half furlongs (1,500m) by 5 ¾ lengths in a time of 1:32.2 on December 30. Although he is up in class here, based on that effort, Divine Force should be competitive here and could make it two-in-a-row.

I Realise, Regal and Royal, Babylike, Sunset Silhoutte, and Positive ID make up the rest of the field.

Ones to watch:

Race 1)
Storm Valley/Undecided/Crafty Zella Zeen

Race 2)
Provocativa/Whisky/Tigray Express

Race 3)
Zabratone/Sheboom/Pretty Girl

Race 4)
Money Market/Volatility/Legit Boss

Race 5)
Teflon Don/D Bay Machine/The General

Race 6)
Sudden Flight/Sure Curlin/Heart of th Sea

Race 7)
D Head Cornerstone/Divine Force/Further and Beyond

Race 8)
Dancing With A Cat/Amad Ali/Don Vincenzo

Race 9)
Zayn’s Princess/Sugar Sugar/Heezalion