Harding goes for Red Stripe

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Top Trinidad and Tobago jockey Brian Harding takeshighly fancied Pittacus to the post in the 2003 Red Stripe Jamaica Derby atCaymanas Park today.

Pittacus, owned by Barbados-based Elias Haloute and trained by AnthonyNunes, has won two of his last four races, and  gives Harding a favourable chance in the Jam$3 million (US$51,000) event over 12 furlongs. The bay gelding was showing Friday as the fourth favourite in the forecastodds at 5-1 in the competitive 15-horse field. Haloute and Nunes also have little-rated The Minister in the field at oddsof 99-1.  Pittacus was a strong second in last month’s Governor’s Cup Derby “prep”behind Herecomesfudgie, who is third favourite at 5-2 with Wesley Henryriding.

Rear Admiral, who finished a close second in April’s 2,000 Guineas, is the 9-5 favourite in the forecast odds with four-time champion jockey CharlesHussey riding. All-time leading jockey Winston Griffiths partners 2,000 Guineas winner and last year’s champions two-year-old A King is Born (2-1).Another leading entry in the field is 12-1 chance Naughty by Nature, the Oaks winner, with champion jockey Trevor Simpson riding.