Fireworks from feature runners

THE Eric “Colt’ Durant Memorial Handicap and three other events framed for the turf course on the Arima Race Club Arrival Day, May 31, programme, look headed for the main course instead. Persistent rain at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, over the past two days have made the grass course soft and with the forecast for further showers over the weekend, it is unlikely the situation would get any better. Should such a situation persists, the Arima Race Club officials will have no alternative but to switch the four events and run all 11 races on the main course.

Track and Paddock manager Stephen Jardim, was of the same opinion as the earlybirds to frequent the racecourse on mornings to watch gallops. Jardim who is hoping for a change in the weather pattern said: “It’s a little too early to tell but the odds are more than likely that there would be no racing on the grass. “The weather forecast for the next 72 hours is for more rain. So I am not expecting it to get any better by Monday. “If it continues over the next two days it is more than likely that the races will move over to the main course.” But while the conditions have prevented horses from having a feel of the inner circuit, runners seemed to enjoy the sloppy underfoot conditions on the sand course, which may have helped in seeing faster times being recorded.

Among those who seemed to relish the conditions were a number of entrants for the Union Park Turf Club Guineas and the Durant Memorial Handicap, the co-features on the holiday card. Guineas entrant Fast Company had his blowout with Seaham Harbour over 1000 metres. The pair started off extremely fast with the Chester Roberts hopeful, Fast Company, having the better of the exchanges in the straight, as he clocked 59.48 seconds for his spin.  His companion was timed in 1:01.42 seconds. French Academy one of the pre-race favourites to lift the first leg of the triple crown also showed some fire.

The John O’Brien-trained filly, also galloped over 1000 metres along  with older companion Maid Of Honour, and the pair clocked 1:01.75 seconds. Their stable companions Smart And Lucky and Phantom Bidder went even better in separate workouts. Phantom Bidder posted a 1:00.89 seconds for his gallop, and his younger stable member went slightly faster in 1:00.44 seconds. Here are gallops recorded over the past two days.

YESTERDAY: 400 METRES: Sure wager - 23.16, good; Bold Woman - 29.09, pacing; The Chairman - 29.97, pacing; Synergy and Speed At Last - 27.39, handily; Aticka - 26.83, handily; Alibi Ike - 27.37, handily; City Of Lights - 29.98, pacing; Copy Cat - 29.94, pacing; Kent’s delight - 29.98, pacing; Miss real Quiet - 26.58, handily; Redoubled - 28.70, pacing; melanie My Love - 27.39, handily; Richie Rich - 29.78, pacing; Silver Bullet - 26.46, handily.
600 METRES: Second Chances - 36.04, good (Boxes); Explosive Suzie - 39.27, handily; Yaa Asantewa - 43.98, pacing; Mir On Fire - 42.27, pacing; Fromnowuntil - 41.37, easy; Millenium Reign - 42.23, pacing; Francesca - 43.40, pacing.
800 METRES: Dottie’s Way - 49.53, good; Dauntless Hero - 48.30, good; Twice Infallible - 50.93, good; Kay Gee Bee - 55.05, pacing; Samana Song - 59.76, pacing; Lovely Pearl - 56.59, pacing; Life In Russia - 57.65, pacing; Bon Voyage - 57.79, pacing; Royal Miss - 59.57, pacing; Notanothernoble and Give Me Something - 52.48, handily.
1000 METRES: Fantastic Story - 1:01.12, good; Jay Low - 1:03.19, good; Invincibility - 1:01.08, good; Bpund To Dot Com - 1:02.53, good; Alert The Ship and Kato - 1:07.03, handily; Hundred Percent - 1:07.97, handily; Golden Honour - 1:07.66, handily; Karzai - 1:09.70, handily; Buffalo Soldier - 1:13.21, pacing.
1200 METRES: Hyarima - 1:21.26, handily; Rebel Music - 1:26.17, pacing.
1400 METRES: Attitude - 1:42.12, pacing.  
WEDNESDAY: 400 METRES: Over And Above - 23.93, good (Boxes); Carefree - 25.77, handily; Peace Majesty - 29.90, pacing; Soul Asylum - 28.88, pacing; Kato - 29.74, pacing; Aticka and Bandinthong - 27.77, easy; Explosive Suzie - 29.39, pacing; Mir On Fire - 28.87, pacing; Blondie - 29.18, pacing; Embedded Option - 29.99, pacing; Bon Voyage - 29.46, pacing; Sky Storm Rising - 28.05, pacing; Hyarima - 29.17, pacing; Chief Of Staff - 28.66, pacing.
600 METRES: Life In The Sky - 35.06, good (Boxes); All Set To Battle, Cleopatra and E Mail - 36.97, good (Boxes); Ex How About Me and Bound To Fly - 43.27, pacing; Travel Agent - 37.23, handily.
800 METRES: Creme Caramel - 50.77, good; Nobleman and Crackshot - 49.90, good; Sure Honey - 56.71, pacing; Champagne Wager and Return To Glory - 53.73, handily; Comanchero - 52.37, handily; Peace Of Mind - 52.45, handily; Yashoda - 58.15, pacing; Spin N’Squeeze - 53.14, handily; Street Wise - 59.97, pacing.
1000 METRES: Phantom Bidder - 1:00.89, good; Fast Company - 59.48, good; Seaham Harbour - 1:01.42, good; French Academy and Maid Of Honour - 1:01.75, good; Smart And Lucky - 1:00.44, good; Born To Charm - 1:05.00, handily; Ichiban and Takeover - 1:05.02, handily; Yaa Asantewa - 1:14.99, pacing; Flying Eagle - 1:14.98, pacing; City Of Lights - 1:14.96, pacing; Vaqueiro - 1:07.67, handily; Millenium Reign - 1:11.89, pacing.