Staying with Miss Lover Lover

Miss Lover Lover can gain her maiden Graded success by taking the First Citizens Bank Trophy Sian’s Gold Sprint today on the opening day of the Arima Race Club 2004 racing season at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. Miss Lover Lover has not had a run on the grass against a field of so many speedsters but can show she is in good heart on her seasonal debut. The daughter of Friendly Lover/Winning Spurs has been a reformed character since joining the Edmund De Freitas barn, getting among the money in all her starts under the astute trainer. In most of them, at the back end of last season, she shaded the pace before delivering her challenge.

She again showed quality speed to be in the thick of things from the off in the Stewards Cup when she finished runner-up to Sugar Mike. In that event, she took on Napoleon early and dropped him at the corner, but did not have enough in reserve to stave off the winner in the sprint regarded as the most prestigious on the racing calendar. That run has thrown light on both her speed and ability to compete against the best. She makes her debut on the turf in today’s 1100 metres dash on the First Citizens Bank sponsored 10-race card and the change of surface should not prove a problem to the stout-hearted individual, since it has been a proven fact that runners who like   to be in the firing line do best on the grass. Smooth Operator  must be considered course a specialist having won six of his 10 starts on the inner course. The Maniram Maharaj-trained seven-year-old won this race last year and is yet to run a bad race on the grass but may find having to concede weight all round a difficult proposition. Song Of Freedom has shown he can mix it up with the best and having won over course and distance must be considered along with Napoleon, who will also be making his bow on the grass.

But the fly in the ointment could be Dauntless Hero, whom a penalty was paid for to race in last month’s Stewards Cup, but had to remain indoors because of quarantine regulations. The four-year-old flew across from Calder with wins under his belt and has shown glimpses of his ability by stepping lively in both his open gallops on the two courses at racing headquarters. Salsa Moves can make a quick return today to win the First Citizens Bank First Classic. The Maniram Maharaj-trained youngster turned in his maiden certificate with a pillar to post victory, then surprised turfites when following-up against a better bunch of juveniles by 14-1/4 lengths. He then flattered to deceive with a poor showing in the Caribbean Juvenile Sprint but bounced right back into contention with another fiery display in the St James Stakes on Boxing Day. As the gates opened in the 1350 metres event he blazed the trail to open up a big advantage. But the effort took its toll and when Anthony Stephen set sail for home the small framed colt had little left in his tank and was caught and passed by Pave The Way and the fast finishing Mucho Tempo.

Salsa Moves will also be making his debut on the turf in the first of three feature events, and would be ideally suited to the sharper turns and should slip back into the winning grove. He should have most to fear from his stablemates Melanie My Love, who dissappointed when fitted with the visors last time; and Java Takeover, the other speedball from the Green and White team. The FCB Turf Championship looks an open affair but could be fought out between oldstagers Carnival Messiah, Phantom Bidder and Millenium Reign. The other bright spots on today’s programme is the Jockeys Championship. In it, six  teams each with two jockeys, from Panama, Venezuela, Barbados, Canada, TT and an international combination of Patrick Husbands and Emile Ramsammy will vie for honours and US $10,000 in prizes in three events. The winner will be determined by a points system.