Lover Lover, Sugar Mike ‘Champagne’ topweights

SAGICOR Independence Cup Trophy victrix Miss Lover Lover and Gaurdian Gold Cup winner Sugar Mike will share topweight in the Champagne Stakes, feature race on the Arima Race Club Day 4 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, on Saturday. The two leading stayers of last year were each asked to take along 56.5 kilos in the Grade Two event over 1,600 metres on the turf. Following the duo closely at the weight is Sian’s Gold Sprint runner-up Invincibility with 56 kilos and Guardian Gold Cup runner-up Top Of The Class who will tote 54.5 kilos.

Fantastic Story who got his 2005 campaign off on a winning note will race with 53.5 kilos, same as Outswinger. Arrangements are being made for champion jockey Brian Harding,who is currently campaigning at Caymanas Park,  Jamiaca, to return to this Grant Lourenco’s inmate. Completing the strong cast are Trintrac Ltd Stewards Cup winner Cash Wager 53, Dottie’s Way 50.5 kilos, and Mandela, who will compete with the penny stamp weight of 45 kilos.

The Restricted Handicap, the supporting spotlight event on Saturday’s card, also has two runners at the top of the weight table with 56.5 kilos. Both Millenium Reign and Super Grey are the topweights in the 1,750 metres race, which like the feature has attracted nine runners. These leading creoles will be handing out as little as .5 kilo to Life In The Sky maximum 11.5 to bottom weight Maid Of Honour. Following are the races, entires and weights for both races.

RACE 9: RESTRICTED HANDICAP - 1,750 METRES.

MILLENIUM REIGN - 56.5, SUPER GREY - 56.5, LIFE IN THE SKY - 56.0, SURE TING - 56.0, ROYAL MISS - 52.5, SUPREMELYSATISFIED - 52.5, MORGAN HERITAGE - 47.5, SQUEE ZINTRU - 47.5, MAID OF HONOUR - 45.0.

RACE 10: CHAMPAGNE STAKES (GRADE 11) - 1,600 METRES TURF.

SUGAR MIKE - 56.5 (50.5), MISS LOVER LOVER - 56.5 (49.5), INVINCIBILITY - 56.0 (48.5), TOP OF THE CLASS - 54.5 (51.0), FANTASTIC STORY - 53.5 (50.5), OUTSWINGER - 53.5 (52.0), CASH WAGER - 53.0 (52.0), DOTTIES’S WAY - 50.5 - (44.5), MANDELA - 45.0 (42.0).