AHWHOFAH, ridden by champion jockey Omar Walker for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, gets the better of long-time leader and favourite OUTSTANDING (Dane Nelson) to win the Lady Geeta Trophy race over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park last Saturday. Owned by Winston Kong, AHWHOFAH won at odds of 9-5. - Colin Hamilton/freelance photographer
Two trophies are at stake on today's 10-race programme at Caymanas Park, among them the season's first two-year-old race for the Starters' Trophy over 200 metres straight.
Also on the card is the four-y-o and up restricted allowance II for the Master Blaster Trophy to be contested by 11 starters (non-winners of three other than) over the straight five course.
The trophy races aside, the focus of attention is on Derby aspirant POSEIDON, who preps for the May 23 Lotto Classic (Governor's Cup) in the seventh race for native and imported three-year-olds over 1820 metres.
Enormous potential
A colt of enormous potential, POSEIDON, who only made his racecourse debut on March 4 when finishing third to THE GUV in a 1200-metre maiden race, impressed on his second outing when strolling home by 12 lengths from subsequent winners PALATINE and THE RED SKULL over 1600 metres, covering the distance in the good time of 1:40.2.
By virtue of that performance, POSEIDON was quietly fancied at 6-1 for the 2000 Guineas on April 4 and lost no marks in defeat when staying on strongly to finish on the heels of BRUCEONTHELOOSE and THE GUMMER, both of whom went down on the wire.
To my mind, POSEIDON was beaten due to his lack of experience as after leaving the furlong pole two lengths third and seemingly full of running on the outside, did not carry through his effort fast enough and finished a mere 1-1/4 lengths third.
By Law of the Sea out of the 1994 Guineas winner Melissa's Song, POSEIDON, who is named after two popular movies about a capsized ship, has been taken to task at exercise by trainer Dwight Chen, galloping six furlongs in 1:13.4 last Monday morning.
With his preparation complete, it's a matter of how far POSEIDON will win.
Meanwhile, the Vin Edwards-trained SEQUENCE has looked sufficiently forward to make a winning debut in the Starters' Trophy, in which five youngsters have been declared.
A two-year-old chestnut filly by Dayton Flyer out of Kim Kim Kerri, SEQUENCE should win from the Anthony Nunes-trained filly, REGAL SENSATION.
The Master Blaster Trophy has attracted 11 starters and should come down to a straight fight between the speedy four-year-olds UNBREAKABLE HEART under champion jockey Omar Walker and TWENTYFIRSTOFJUNE with title-chasing jockey Paul 'Country' Francis aboard.
Preference is for the Wayne DaCosta-trained gelding UN-BREAKABLE HEART, who was narrowly beaten by stable-com-panion SKETEL over 1200 metres on April 4.
I also like the lightly raced JAYLEN to win the fourth race, CHIPONYOURSHOULDER in the fifth, 'Horse of the Year' ALSAFRA in the ninth and the unbeaten American filly RACING MACHINE in the 10th and final.