Adawar on rails for Indian Arrival race

ADAWAR, winner of last year’s Gold Cup will line up closest to the rails in the Union Park Turf Club Indian Arrival Turf Handicap on the Arima Race Club Day 16 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima,  on Friday. The six-year-old son of Perugino who went on to cop the “Horse of the Year” title was drawn to race from the “window” post by trainer John O’Brien at the official draw for post positions held at the Valpark Chinese Restaurant, Valpark Shopping Centre, yesterday. O’Brien, president of the ARC said  there were not many superlatives with which to describe the efforts of Union Park Turf Club, which five weeks ago sponsored the Easter Guineas.

He lauded the UPTC team headed by Justice Wendell Kangaloo for their sterling efforts in coming aboard again to sponsor the Indian Arrival Day programme. Justice Kangaloo in his opening remarks gave a history of East Indians, from their arrival aboard the Fatel Razack on May 30, 1845 to indentureship when a total of 143,939 East Indians had arrived by 1917. The impact according to Kangaloo was so immense in both a socio-economic as well as cultural sense that May 30 is now observed annually as a holiday. He reiterated that many successful horse owners and racing officials have been associated with the UPTC and are the progeny of those who came as indentured labourers. The list, according to Kangaloo was far too numerous to enumerate but said the races have been named to honour certain aspects of that first voyage and the subsequent period.

Sugar Mike who finished runner-up to Adawar in the final graded event last season will renew rivalry with the top Irish-bred stayer.  He was drawn on the  extreme outside of the seven-horse field of stayers. Jockey Nobel Abrego who formed an unbeatable partnership with Adawar last year has again been retained for the 1725 metres turf contest, while Sugar Mike unbeaten in two starts this term will have champion jockey Rajpaul Rajkumar aboard. Outswinger who scored a facile victory over a Starter Allowance group  in his first try on the inner course will race one off the rails. Drawn to be loaded soon after the Jack Debideen-trained three-year-old in the tough looking contest which has both tactical speed and staying power will be Invincibility, another member of trainer Grant Lourenco’s barn. Drawn to race out of the No 4 stall is Canaima. The Irish bred five-year-old who will be making her first appearance. has raced over three seasons in Ireland, with the bay daughter of Rainbow For Life/Dunfern going into the event with a record of two wins and three placings from 18 starts.

Following are the runners and post positions:
RACE 7: GLENEAGLE STAKES - W.I BRED 3 Y.O FILLIES - PURSE $60,000 - 1800 METRES.
1. SWEET LAURA LEE - 55 - L.KEIZER, 2. GOLDEN HONOUR - 55 - H.EMAMALIE, 3. CREME CARAMEL - 55 - K. BISSOON, 4. JOAN OF ARC - 55 - J. ARNEAUD, 5. MY APHRODITE - 55 - R. RAJKUMAR, 6. FIRESTORM - 55 - R. JADOO, 7. CORNERSTONE - 55 - N. ABREGO, 8. SWEET TEMPO - 55 - W.GALVIZ, 9. WILD LIFE - 55 - L. MUNOZ, 10. FULL OF PROMISES - 55 - R. PERSAD.

RACE 9: INDIAN ARRIVAL TURF HANDICAP - PURSE $75,000 - 1725 METRES (TURF)
1. SUGAR MIKE - 55 - R.RAJKUMAR, 2. OUTSWINGER - 49.5 - R.JADOO, 3. INVINCIBILITY - 54.5 - H.EMAMALIE, 4. CANAIMA - 53.5 - W.BHARATH, 5. DOTTIE’S WAY - 49 - W.GALVIZ, 6. MANDELA - 44 - L.KEIZER, 7. ADAWAR - 57.5 - N.ABREGO.