Turfites should get Smart And Lucky

SMART AND LUCKY raised a few eyebrows when winning in record time on his debut as a juvenile, and can confirm he is a topclass colt by winning the Starter Allowance event on the Arima Race Club Day Seven card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, today.

The son of Dance Brightly/Rare Indication showed he has trained on with another exciting performance when making his bow as a three-year-old in late January. This time, his rider kept in the shade of the pace in the 1100 metres on the turf, and when asked to get serious, swept past the leaders to win with authority. Although Smart And Lucky scored in emphatic style in the seven-horse event he posted yet another record, and looks the type to run up a sequence before the handicappers get his measure. Sure Ting has shown a tendency to come out the boxes slowly in her recent outings. She did it again last week but made up the leeway and had too much guns for her rivals up the straight, and the time of 1:03.53 seconds was just a shade outside the current record of 1:02 posted by Smart And Lucky. In her present mood, Sure Ting must be one to fear in the 1200 metres race.

Twice Infallible has performed with credit in his three starts, and came off a six-week layoff to head some smart sprinters in the Barbados Turf Club Sprint, only giving way to Fabulous Risk up the stretch and Daredevil Hero close home. He is bound to strip much fitter for the outing, and should again be among the principles in this race worth $11,000 to the winning owner. Miss Lover Lover continues to hold her own among the top bracket and is nicely weighted to land the Allowance feature on today’s programme. The daughter of Friendly Lover/Winning Spurs is noted for her sprinting ability, but gave a sound performance with 54.5 kilos in her saddle in her first try over 1600 metres in the Champagne Stakes last month.

In that event she had to be checked and taken back at a crucial point, only to be back in the fray near the finish to grab fourth beaten only 1 3/4 lenghts by winner Outswinger and Phantom Bidder (55 kilos) who were separated by only a head. She is well laid out for today’s 1725 metres feature and with only 45.5 kilos (minus 3 kilos with apprentice Gary Laban up) today, if ridden with some restraint early, could land the winning purse worth $13,000. But these two local spotlight races are sure to be overshadowed by the Sandy Lane Gold Cup, to be simulcast live at 5.05 pm from the Garrison Savannah, Bridgetown,  Barbados. Turfites will be anxiously following the fortunes of 2003 “Horse of the Year” Sugar Mike, this country’s lone representative in the 1800 metres event rated the biggest in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Last time a Trinidad and Tobago-owned entrant tasted victory in this race  which has grown in stature over the years and is now worth Bds$200,000,  was in 1988 when Call To Account won with Emile Ramsammy astride. Spirits are high on the local team landing a double on the tight right-handed circuit. Carnival Messiah and Golden Honour are expected to give Trinidadians a flying start in the Bds$84,000 Tanglewood Stakes over 2000 metres on the way to an elusive double. “The Messiah” who finished third in this race last year, has been in good form lately and will be ridden by Trinidadian Haniff Emamalie, while the consistent Golden Honour will have a Bajan rider in Ren Cumberbatch.