Stop at New Kingston for George HoSang Trophy
FOLLOWING his midweek dominance with three winners, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta takes a back seat at Caymanas Park today, but still holds a very formidable hand in the day’s $715,000 George HoSang Trophy Overnight Allowance three-year-olds and upward feature.
Nine races are carded that will also feature the $462,000 CTL Claiming Series #1 Race #2, a race for $250,000 – $210,000 claimers, three-year-olds and upward who have started for a tag of $250,000 or less since November 20 of last year. First post is 1:30 pm.
On Wednesday one of his American-bred four-year-old geldings won the day’s Open Allowance feature and the champion trainer again looks set to take the George HoSang Trophy feature today with another, as he holds a very strong hand in contesting the 1,000 metres straight with his American-bred gelding New Kingston and the home-bred five-year-old Mr Skill. Ten will run.
Mr Skill, the mount of Wesley Henry, is the speedier of the two geldings and won his last race over the distance by a neck in June of last year. Since then he has been struggling to find his way to the winner’s enclosure, but all that could change for the son of Alisios when this is over, even though he has not been his effervescent self on the track in his preparation.
Notwithstanding, Mr Skill will report in good racing condition for his second outing for the season and having taken a step down in class and with the choice of rider, could use his early speed to good advantage and should he be allowed to chart the course unmolested, could show these the way home even under top weight of 56.0kg and in the presence of six noted straight specialists.
While Mr Skill is noted to be a short runner when not at his best, no such shortcomings are attributable to his imported stable mate and for this reason New Kingston looks the better choice of the DaCosta two-pronged attack. Not only because stable rider Omar Walker is the man in the saddle, but because he has the finishing speed to tag any of these, especially with the inviting pace shape of the event which include runners in the mould of The Chief, First Time Lucky, Gamboa and Minerva.
With this type of speed present it is more than likely that Mr Skill, First Time Lucky with Paul Francis up, The Chief, partnered by Dick Cardenas, High Roller, ridden by Carlton Malcolm, and Gamboa with Doushane Gordon in the irons, will be on the early headline setting a platform for the lurking imported dynamos of Triple Account with Jodeien Anderson in the saddle and New Kingston. Watching from a safe distance these two could move in swiftly for the kill passing the dummy rails with Walker putting New Kingston in overdrive in the final part of the stretch run to try and hold an advantage in the rush for the wire.
Ones To Watch
Race 1 Trainer’s Choice (Oneil Mullings)
Race 2 Flawless Talent (Paul Francis)
Race 3 Silent Image (Aaron Chatrie)
Race 4 Hackleton (Wesley Henry)
Race 5 Explosive Report (Richard Mairs)
Race 6 She’s The One (Wesley Henry)
Race 7 Royal Lad (Neville Stephenson)
Race 8 New Kingston (Omar Walker)
Race 9 Mustang (Phillip Parchment)