THE native-bred Classic festival is always the focus of most people’s attention at the beginning of April, and this year will be no different.

Owners and trainers have spared no expense and time to get their best prospects to the events. Fans of thoroughbred racing are expected to be royally entertained as they will probably see the most competitive fields of Futurity three-year-old fillies, colts and geldings on show.

The Classic season parade, which began with the fillies’ 1,000 Guineas on Monday, will continue at Caymanas Park today with the 2,000 Guineas, sponsored by LP Azar, for colts and geldings going 1,600 metres.

The highlighter of a 10-race card that also features another competitive clash between the very fast imported four-year-olds, filly Noon It Is and colt Blast Them Away, in an Open Allowance shoot down, the 2,000 Guineas is scheduled to go to post at 5:00 pm, with first post at 12:10 pm.

Unlike the 1,000 Guineas that sported a near full field of 15 runners, only 10 colts and geldings will go postward in the 2,000 Guineas.

And just as it was in the 1,000 Guineas where the winner was expected to come from four or five of the field, a similar situation exists among the colts and geldings. The early winter book favourite, Hover Craft, the Supreme Ventures Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes winner, and stablemate and runner-up Perfect Neighbour have now been relegated to third and fourth, respectively, since the emergence of Bigman In Town and Willie Goldsmith.

And there are good reasons for their elevation. Their performances as three-year-olds hold trepidation to rivals, but have added great fervour and anticipation to the entire three-year-old Classic season.

With Hover Craft and Perfect Neighbour already staking their claims as two-year-olds, it was now left to watch and see who would emerge and to what degree. First it was Willie Goldsmith, who won the Prince Consort Stakes with a masterful performance. Neither of the two was far away, but Willie Goldsmith was so very impressive in victory that was enough to confirm him as the leading contender for the 2,000 Guineas. This, however, was short-lived.

A colossus by the name of Bigman In Town arrived on the scene. And he, too, was impressive in winning over today’s distance of 1,600 metres, pushing Willie Goldsmith, Hover Craft and Perfect Neighbour a peg or two out of the picture and firmly entrenching himself as the overwhelming favourite for the 2,000 Guineas.

Willie Goldsmith, owned by WB Racing, is a chestnut gelding by Traditional out of Gracious Gift (Law Of The Sea) that was bred by Micheal Lyncook and is so far undefeated in three career starts. He has looked impressive in his preparation for his biggest test to date and with trainer Patrick Chang calling for the competent Shane Ellis to partner his charge after Omar Walker has chosen to ride Bigman In Town, the change could prove instructive.

Bigman In Town is a deserved favourite to win the event that should give the consistent wily trainer Gary Subratie a fairly quick double in the event that he won two years ago with Bigman Boyu, also for owner Baskaran Bassawh.

The $3.4-million Bigman In Town never raced as a two-year-old as he had some minor setbacks. A well-bred chestnut colt by Cowtown Cat out of My Morning Prayer (Buddha) bred by Ham Stables Ltd, Bigman In Town eventually made his debut on January 5 after a minor setback prevented an earlier entrance. His debut went as scripted. Running well within himself, Bigman In Town won going 1,200 metres by 2 1/4 lengths after missing the break. His time of 1:13.3 minutes without much hassle showed that the ‘big man in town’ was of worth and had strong legs to stand on his big price tag. So said, so done. On March 23, four weeks later, Bigman In Town returned to the track to show what he was really made of and turned the books upside down with a smashing performance going 1,600 metres in a time of 1:39 flat, and winning by all of 16 lengths. And with such a performance he was elevated to morning line favourite.

Since then he has continued to train well for his biggest test, as he will be facing some of the best talents of his age group who will not be any cake walk.

Trainer Wayne DaCosta will field three runners that include Rum Punch, in addition to Hover Craft and Perfect Neighbour. All three runners have worked industriously, but it is Hover Craft who has looked inspiring while clocking a very fast 1:12.3 in his final bullet work for 1,200 metres on Sunday morning.

If this is anything to go by, the bay gelding by He’sarealthing out of Royal Pizzaz (Royal Minister) bred by Mark & Susan Wates will not be out of it. He already knows how to win among the best, and there is absolutely no reason he cannot repeat with Dick Cardenas remaining in the saddle.

Perfect Neighbour, who was ahead of Hover Craft in the Prince Consort Stakes prep, will be ridden this time by the champion jockey Dane Nelson, and the two favoured runners of Bigman In Town and Willie Goldsmith may have to sprout wings to escape the Wayne DaCosta pair.

ONES TO WATCH

Race 1 Fortuneonehundred (Dane Nelson)

Race 2 Fire Light (Dick Cardenas)

Racw 3 Antoinette (Dane Nelson)

Race 4 St Bernard (Dane Nelson)

Race 5 Prince O’Shaun (Omar Walker)

Race 6 I’m Allwright (Dick Cardenas)

Race 7 Blast Them Away (Dane Nelson)

Race 8 Principe (Shane Ellis)

Race 9 Bigman In Town (Town)

Race10 Yahma Jah (Richard Lunan)