Champ Sugar Mike to land the ARC Cup

LOOK no further than Prince Charming (Flamingo Stakes), Arts And Lovers (Ibis Stakes) and Sugar Mike (ARC Cup) for the winners of the three “big races” on the Arima Race Club Easter Monday fiesta programme at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, today. All three animals have done all asked of them on the gallops, and their immediate form points to their crossing the finish line ahead of their rivals. Prince Charming, after winning his initial start, finished a game second to Flying Millie, and this son of Freshly Squeezed/Beggar’s Banquet has come on the right way since, and with the help of Emile Ramsammy in the saddle must be the pre-race favourite.

But it would be no cake walk in this 1350 metres race as the rapidly improving Flying The Flag from the bang-in-form John O’Brien stables, holds the engagement and so too Crown Point. Ramsammy can make it a “big race” double by landing the undoubted queen, Arts And Lovers, winner of the Trinidad Trophies Limited Trophy Ibis Stakes over a similar distance of ground. This filly, crowned two-year-old champion last year, faces a formidable challenge from Jamaican-bred Flying Millie who won with some authority last time out. A penalty was paid for Really Quitet to get into this race at the second subscription stage, and the connections of Hollywood Heidi who won a maiden event in good style, also paid a penalty at the third stage, and their chances must also be respected.

The feature Stechers Limited Trophy ARC Handicap over 1800 metres is shaping up to be a battle of the pretender Fantastic Story against the proven champion Sugar Mike. Despite his welter burden of 60.5 kilos, The two-time “Horse of the Year” will be very hard to beat with new partner, the Venezuelan rider Wilmer Galviz astride. Justice Wendell Kangaloo’s Fantastic Story has been on the improve, but the nine kilos difference would only see him making a good race of it. The other four runners including the highly thought of This Cat Is Back, appears well held by the leading duo.