Top trio in Arima tussle

Sugar Mike, Top Of The Class and Invincibility are set to clash on Saturday in the Stakes and Lower Handicap, the feature event on the Arima Race Club Day 20 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. The top bracketed trio who took entry at the initial stage of the event on Monday, stood their ground to compete in the 1750 metres event on the main course at yesterday’s declaration stage. The top classified runners will face off against Fantastic Story, This Cat Is Back and Dottie’s Way for purses worth $35,000 in the staying contest. Man Of Class, Tactical Bid and Millenium Reign will match strides again in the Starter Allowance event, the supporting highlight on Saturday’s ten-race card. The consistent trio, which met over 1750 metres in an Allowance contest over 1750 metres on May 15 will renew rivalry over 1350 metres.

Also attracted to the extended sprint are Movietowne Magic, Honor Bound and Le Fabuleux Dansur. Jockey Jody Arneaud, who piloted Melanie My Love to victory in the CLICO Midsummer Classic last week was the most sought rider on the card. The competent lad, who had a chequered career having to wrestle with his weight is slated to ride in nine events. The past champion apprentice who has begun to look more businesslike around the circuit and now fetches 51.5 kilos without saddle was not afforded the chance of landing back-to-back feature victories. Sharing top billing with Arneaud on a similar nine mounts is leading apprentice Gary Laban. Laban will partner the lightly raced This Cat Is Back for trainer Glenn Mendez in the feature, and will sit aboard the Maniram “Boboy” Maharaj-trained Man Of Class in the supporting highlight, in which Arneaud will have the leg up on Tactical Bid.     

Following are the framed races, entries, weights, and jockeys for the entire card:

RACE 1: (12.30pm) W I BRED 3 Y.O NON-WINNERS OF THREE RACES - PURSE $19,000 - 1200 METRES.
1. Pure Delight - 51.5 - S.Rodrigo, 2. Sunday Jewel - 51.5 - C.Marquez, 3. Bandikoot - 53.5 - B.Harding, 4. All Set For Battle - 53.5 - R.Ramirez, 5. Second Chances - 56.5 - R.Jadoo, 6. Sweet N’Beautiful - 51.5 - R.Singh, 7. Dealer’s Choice - 54.5 - J.Arneaud, 8. Majestic - 53.5 - G.Laban.
RACE 2: (1.05pm) IMPORTED 3 Y.O & OVER MAIDENS - PURSE $21,000 - 1300 METRES.
1. Twice The Jet - 51.5 - C.Marquez, 2. Not This Time - 54.5 - R.Rajkumar, 3. Gautama - 53.5 - S.Rodrigo, 4. Ooze - 55.5 - R.Jadoo, 5. Royal Miss - 53.5 - B.Harding, 6. Stonebright - 53.5 - J.Arneaud, 7. Ghost Meadow - 54.5 - F.Razack.
RACE 3: (1.40pm) 3 Y.O & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING ($14,000 - $11,000) - PURSE $19,000 - 1100 METRES (TURF).
1. Francesca - 50.5 - S.Rodrigo, 2. V For Victory - 56.5 - K.Bissoon, 3. The Chairman - 53.5 - B.Harding, 4. Gaza Strip - 54.5 - G.Laban, 5. Joint Venture - 49.5 - J.Arneaud, 6. Full Of Promises - 48.5 - W.Galviz, 7. Game High - 55.5 - J.Stephen, 8. Kaser’s Gold - 55.5 - J.Stephen.
RACE 4: (2.15pm) STARTER ALLOWANCE - PURSE $23,000 - 1350 METRES.
1. Millenium Reign - 53.5 - N.Samaroo, 2. Movietowne Magic - 50.5 - B.Harding; 3. Honor Bound - 49.5 - W.Galviz, 4. Man Of Class - 53.5 - G.Laban, 5. Tactical Bid - 54.5 - J.Arneaud, 6. Le Fabuleux Dansur - 50.5 - F.Razack. 
RACE 5: (2.52pm) W I BRED 4 Y.O & OVER NON-WINNERS OF FIVE RACES - PURSE $20,000 - 1200 METRES.
1. Cornerstone - 53.5 - C.Marquez, 2. First Time - 54.5 - S.Rodrigo, 3. Due Dilligence - 56.5 - K.Bissoon, 4. Affirm Decision - 56.5 - R.Rajkumar, 5. Ichiban - 55.5 - G.Laban, 6. Hatrick - 53.5 - J.Arneaud, 7. Running Trick - 56.5 - J.Payano, 8. Poetry - 54.5 - R.Jadoo.
RACE 6: (3.19pm) W I BRED 3 Y.O NON-WINNERS OF TWO RACES - PURSE $18,000 - 1750 METRES.
1. Chief Of Staff - 53.5 - F.Razack, 2. Sou Sou Moni - 50.5 - G.Laban, 3. Silver Bullet - 50.5 - R.Jadoo, 4. Yashoda - 54.5 - R.Rajkumar, 5. Final Set - 51.5 - W.Galviz, 6. 2Sharp - 50.5 - J.Stephen, 7. Seaham Harbour - 53.5 - J.Arneaud, 8. Murphy’s Law - 53.5 - S.Rodrigo, 9. Private Affair - 53.5 - B.Harding.
RACE 7: ( 3.56pm) 3 Y.O & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING ($7,500 - $6,500) - PURSE $17,000 - 1100 METRES (TURF).
1. Storming Wind - 55.5 - R.Jadoo, 2. El Presidente - 49.5 - K.Jadoo, 3. Politics - 51.5 - G.Laban, 4. Redoubled - 55.5 - B.Harding, 5. Hemlock Falls - 50.5 - J.Arneaud, 6. Vaqueiro - 43.5 - F.Razack, 7. A Firm Relief - 50.5 - R.Singh, 8. Miss Beautiful - 51.5 - D.Gaff, 9. Kent’s Delight - 54.5 - K.Chandler, 10. Cat Woman - 54.5 - R.Rajkumar, 11. Never Ever Worrie - 47.5 - C.Marquez, 12. Song Of Freedom - 50.5 - J.Stephen, 13. Lovely Pearl - 50.5 - W.Galviz.
RACE 8: (4.33pm) RESTRICTED HANDICAP - PURSE $21,000 - 1600 METRES (TURF).
1. Squee Zintru - 54.0 - B.Harding, 2. Living In Hope - 56.5 - C.Marquez, 3. Morgan Heritage - 54.5 - J.Stephen, 4. Maid Of Honour - 52.5 - W.Galviz, 5. Punto A Punto - 55.0 - R.Rajkumar, 6. Sure Wager (TO) - 55.5 - R.Jadoo, 7. Mandela - 55.0 - R.Singh, 8. Bon Voyage - 53.5 - R.Jadoo, 9. Premier Attraction - 48.0 - F.Razack, 10. Golden Honour - 54.0 - J.Arneaud, 11. You’ve Got Mail - 48.5 - G.Laban.
RACE 9: (5.05pm) STAKES AND LOWER HANDICAP - PURSE $35,000 - 1750 METRES.
1. Fantastic Story - 48.5 - S.Rodrigo, 2. Top Of The Class - 49.5 - R.Jadoo, 3. This Cat Is Back - 44.0 - G.Laban, 4. Sugar Mike - 60.5 - B.Harding, 5. Dottie’s Way - 48.5 - K.Bissoon, 6. Invincibility - 49.5 - W.Galviz.
RACE 10: (5.40pm) 3 Y.O & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING ($10,500 - $8,500) - PURSE $18,000 - 1300 METRES.
1. Bold Fapp - 53.5 - J.Arneaud, 2. Dunsborough - 56.5 - G.Laban, 3. Entertainer - 53.5 - W.Galviz, 4. Isle Be There - 53.5 - R.Ramirez, 5. Bajan Connection - 50.5 - R.Jadoo, 6. Dare To Dream - 56.5 - D.Gaff, 7. Champagne Wager - 49.5 - F.Razack, 8. Badpayjamesee - 50.5 - J.Payano, 9. Renaissance Man - 56.5 - K.Bissoon, 10. Hundred Percent - 55.5 - N.Samaroo, 11. Joan Of Arc - 54.5 - R.Rajkumar, 12. Life In Russia - 53.5 - S.Rodrigo.