Top O’Brien duo in Indian Arrival race

INVINCIBILITY and Adawar, first and second in last month’s Union Park Turf Club Champagne Stakes Handicap, head a list of 12 entrants for the Indian Arrival Turf Handicap at Santa Rosa Park, Arima,  on May 30.

Connections paid the $300 fee at second subscription stage to be eligibile to race in the 1725 feature on the Arima Race Club Day 16 programme. Paying a penalty of $1,400 to get among the star-studded field at the second round was Canaima. The four-year-old who has raced among the elite grouping in Ireland will be the lone entrant for trainer Harriram Gobin. Four trainers hold double entry in the event for which final subs are due on May 12. Besides “Horse of the Year” Adawar, champion trainer O’Brien has also entered Phantom Bidder,  while Grant Lourence has also paid the required fee for Sugar Mike to be in the race.

Glenn Mendez who banked the Easter Guineas with Top Of The Class goes after the rich purse in the handicap with 2001 triple crown winner Carnival Messiah and Sure Ting and Jack Debideen’s two-pronged attack is made up of Outswinger and Sure Wager. Dottie’s Way, an unlucky loser in his last start has been entered by Kenneth De Silva jnr. Other entries standing their ground at the second stage were creoles Mandela, and trained by Maniram “Boboy” Maharaj and Punto A Punto, owned and trained by Douglas Bennett. Subscriptions so far are worth $10,700.