Royal Miss to be crowned J’Ouvert queen

ROYAL MISS has not won very often for a horse of some ability but she can get one on the board in the J’Ouvert Restricted Handicap on the Arima Race Club  “Carnival Friday Lime” card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, today. This American-bred filly had some pleasant workouts on the turf course but only once had the opportunity to prove her worth on this surface. But while she may appear to be pounds better on the turf, she is by no means a slouch on the sand, on which she won only once from ten outings and has some creditable showings in-between.

The daughter of Formal Gold/Her Majesty Rose has also put on some poundage at the back end of last season and now seems ripe for the picking. On form lines, Royal Miss has a lot to make up on a number of runners in the 1300 metres sprint, but the way she has filled out recently and the manner in which she has been moving on the gallops suggest she has come on a bit and could spring a surprise at rewarding odds in the 15-horse race, the feature on the eight-race programme. Sure Ting, Life In The Sky, and Ghost Meadow are among those she trailed behind previously, and could be among the market leaders along with Pave The Way, who has rounded back into his best form and Punto A Punto, who looked much keener since changing hands.

But the nicely weighted Royal Miss is taken to turn back all challengers to  give trainer Stephen Jardim, who will be leaving our shores shortly to take up an assistant trainers’ post with a leading stable in England, a farewell gift. Arts And Lovers was expected to be the market rage in the Soca Monarch 1200 metres sprint for West Indian-bred three-year-olds. But the champion two-year-old filly of  last year was reported to have injured herself in her stall last night, and will not face the starter in today’s co-feature.

Her withdrawal is sure to see punters leaning towards Crown Point, who although beaten by 10 1/4 lengths by The Night Man in the Guardian Life St James Stakes, was by no means disgraced, since the winners’ time was almost two seconds better than that of  Arts And Lovers who won the  fillies division, the Guardian Life St Anns Stakes. In that event over 1350 metres the son of Freshly Squeezed/Bands O’Gold had a number of promising colts, thought to be classic contenders in his wake, and could take the top slice of the $22,000 purse before moving on to better things.