If everything goes according to plan, then champion trainer Jason DaCosta will be smiling at the end of tomorrow’s US$300,000 Mouttet Mile as he believes he has a strong hand with Funcaandun, Girvano, and Dothraki to land the Caribbean’s richest single purse event.

The Mouttet Mile, a Graded Stakes contest for three-year-olds and upward, will run over one mile (1,600m). Funcaandun, ridden by Robert Halleddeen, defeated Legacy Isle by a neck in last year’s event.

Funcaandun had a lighter campaign this year, burdened with 57.0kgs (126lb), but carries 54.0kgs (119lb) into the Mouttet Mile — a weight drop DaCosta believes will “help him tremendously”.

“I think Funcaandun is peaking at the right time. He got a little rest after the Mouttet Mile last year because he campaigned hard. There weren’t much opportunity for him to run during this year, but he won twice. He has been training really well the last couple weeks and so he is coming into the race on top of his game,” DaCosta said.

A Sunday, November 30 work impressed: 7 furlongs (71,400m) in 1:25.3, with Girvano clocking 1:26.1.

“I am pleased with the work. It was the best he had worked all year…You will get his best performance this week,” DaCosta said with confidence.

DaCosta is also bullish on Girvano and Dothraki.

“Girvano is improving tremendously. He is taking almost the same path as Funcaandun did last year, improving three-year-old, peaking at the right time. His style of riding will be suited to this race as he is a genuine closer,” DaCosta said.

“Dothraki also worked brilliantly Sunday morning (1:25.3 for 7 furlongs). He is also peaking at the right time. The first two races that we gave him, we knew that he wasn’t going to be at his best. He used his class first time out and he won.

“Coming into the Port Royal Sprint, we always knew it was going to be an impossible task for him to win that race as he would not be fit enough to beat the best of the best. So coming out of that race, I really took him to task at exercise and he responded, gave me what I want. The sky is the limit for him because I know he has abundance of class, tremendous speed, good pace, and so we will see.

“I think I have a strong hand, hoping for a little luck and hoping for the best,” DaCosta stated.