Sir Von to turn back the talented one
THE 1,200-metre Open Allowance, three-year-olds and upward dash features an intriguing duel on the nine-race card at Caymanas Park today.
A combustible field of eight is entered for the dash with the winner pocketing the major share of the $786,500 purse.
The Open Allowance call is the eighth race on the midweek programme with a 4:40 pm post time and a tentative starting time at 1:05 pm.
Talented Tony K, the three-year-old Classic winner of the 2,000 Guineas and the Lotto Classic and second in the Jamaica Derby, is slated as the morning line favourite. And there are good reasons for the confidence in the precocious son of Traditional, but he will for the first time face some real gut bursters who are no chicken over the distance.
Nonetheless, Talented Tony K is now returning to competitive racing after a three-month respite following his industrious three-year-old season and has been setting the track alight in his preparation. He will face the starter with the lightest weight he will race with and with the four-time champion jockey Omar Walker remaining in the irons, a smart performance is anticipated.
While expectations are high for a winning return after his short sabbatical, he is expected to face some fierce adversaries. Numbered among them are three American-bred loose horses from the stables of the champion and leading trainer Wayne DaCosta in the Rio Cobre, who is a speedy sort, Fortuneonehundred with Dick Cardenas and the very versatile Sir Von, without doubt the best among the three. Then there is the proverbial late closer and the grand dad of the pack, eight-year-old The Guv, with Shane Ellis astride. Closing the generation gap to be closer to the favourite is Willie Goldsmith, a four-year-old chestnut gelding, also by Traditional, who won last year’s 2,000 Guineas.
Willie Goldsmith, who had a turbulent three-year-old season after winning the colts first Classic, returned a different animal for his four-year-old season and, he too, like the Talented one is reported to stalking pigeons in the mornings during workouts.
Last but not least is yet another Traditional offspring in the ultra-consistent six-year-old bay gelding Traditional Prince. Not one to win many races despite his consistency, but even in the face of the competitiveness of this race in the hands of the champion jockey Dane Nelson, he could surprise many.