James B Dawes claiming event highlights today’s racing
A small but workmanlike field of six will contest the $528,000-James B Dawes claiming race main event of a 10-race card at Caymanas Park today. First post is 12:15 pm.
Two or three other races of particular interest on the programme include two three-year-old races for native-bred horses and another for native-bred four-year-olds and upward.
The first to run is a maiden condition event for native-bred three-year-olds over 1,600 metres where the promising Junior Minister, Super Center and Willinston will compete. The other is a Restricted Allowance 11 race for (NW2) over 1,500 metres where recent winners, Global Warming, Sulamani and Validictorian will face useful colt Stamp Of Authority from the barn of Anthony Nunes who will be making his seasonal debut as a three-year-old after last competing in June of last year when he opened his winning account.
The other is a Restricted Allowance 111 sprint for four-year-olds and upward (NW3 O/T) over 1,200 metres featuring The Guv, Yojimbo and Big Man.
The main event to be contested over 1,300 metres has attracted six runners with good recent form coming into the event who are well suited to the journey. While they all will come hunting for a major slice of the spoils, the winner is more than likely to come from either Lady Wales drawn at post number one or Girlofmydreams drawn at number two.
Owned and trained by George Moo-Young, Lady Wales, a five-year-old daughter of Vanadium, beat a decent field for her last race on a $400,00- tag over 1,500 metres. Dropped in class for her next outing, she was slow into stride and finished 11 lengths second on a $325,000-tag. That was on January 27.
Since then, she has been nicely freshened and returned up in grade on a $450,000- claiming tag. She has the ability to hold her own among these as she has already won at this level. Trainer Moo-Young has called for the services of the experienced overseas-based jockey Roderick DaCosta, and should the in-form mare leave the gates on time, her final rattle could take her close.
Girlofmydreams looked good when winning for Shane Ellis on last. Trainer Ryan Darby has again called for Ellis, and with her fitness not in doubt, the former Classic aspirant should again use her good early pace to leave the rest of the field to fight for the minor placings.
Ming Lei, the mount of Richard Mitchell, must also be given serious consideration of going close as her form is as good as it has ever been.
Ming Lei a, four-year-old grey filly by Tracking out of Starathercommand ,is the youngest in the line-up and having shown good closing speed in her last four races and under strong handling from Mitchell, should begin her run much earlier to make it very close.
Another who will also be closing for piece of the action is the ever consistent six-year-old bay mare, Rigged To Win. Now conditioned by Patrick Chang for owners Arscott Farms, the daughter of Outrigger who has not won a race in her last 10 starts, gets a splendid opportunity to reverse her fortunes here.
While the task is not an easy one, it is not beyond her capability though she is not the most resolute of the runners. Nonetheless, she is as consistent as they come with 20 second-place finishes from 62 career starts and five wins. In this small field and well suited by weight and distance, she could easily get her head in front from a more bustling ride from her favourite Panamanian rider Dick Cardenas.
Ones To Watch
Race 1 Neptune (Dane Nelson)
Race 2 Willinston (Paul Francis)
Race 3 Stamp Of Authority (Shane Ellis)
Race 4 Princess Shannon (Aaron Chatrie)
Race 5 Lady Wales (Roderick DaCosta)
Race 6 Sugar’s Image (Richard Mairs)
Race 7 Progressive (Trevor Simpson)
Race 8 Our Deelite (Dane Nelson)
Race 9 Yojimbo (Kirk Johnson)
Race Cock Robin (Doushane Gordon)