Splitting Image could spring surprise

SPLITTING IMAGE  had his problems and has not run up to his three-year-old mark but looks a sporting bet to land the Starter Allowance feature on the Arima Race Club Day 24 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, today. The five-year-old son of Beheaded had an outstanding three-year-old campaign, performing equally well on both surfaces before going wrong. Injury curtailed his career at four and he was only seen out on three ocasions. Trainer Grant Lourenco nursed him back to fitness giving him his first start of the current season in May. Splitting Image had  two quick follow up appearances, finishing  among the backmarkers in both. The dark bay horse owned by the El Paso Stables syndicate was then re-introduced to the turf course where he seems to thrive, and gave an improved performance, finishing second to Lady Honoree over 1100 metres.

In that event over todays trip, he tracked the early pace and made good headway off  the bend to hold every chance inside the final 200 metres and was only beaten half a length by the winner, who was in receipt of three kilos. The son of Beheaded/Samana is six kilos better off with Harold Chadee’s American-bred filly, who was a nervous sort early in the season. And although Lady Honoree seems more settled these days and is clearly on the upgrade, the turnaround in the weights could prove the telling factor in the dash. Trainer John O’Brien does well with his runners in their prep races leading up to the derby and can strike with Due Dilligence in the 1750 metres West Indian bred three-year-olds handicap, the supporting event on the 10-race card. The son of Freshly Squeezed enjoyed a four-kilo advantage with Midsummer Classic runner-up Celebration Time and after taking him on from the backstretch, Due Dilligence only went under in the dying strides. That run which was only his fourth this season, had a measure of classic standard, and victory today could place the Nap Stables bay colt back into the Blue Riband picture. Beautiful Mind looks the pick in the Turf Handicap which follows.

The Gelnn Mendez-trainee has shown fine form in his fours starts this season, passing the post second twice and third once before opening his winning account last week. His best run before that success came in in the Santa Rosa Classic, where he was demoted to third behind winner Sweet Tempo, and Golden Honour whom he impeded. As hard as Beautiful Mind tried in the 1200 metres race he seemed to have no answer to his challengers. But it has been proven that our selection had plenty on his plate that day since the winner and official runner-up went on to frank  the form by finishing in the same order in the Oaks. Today’s race represents his first on the grass, but it appears a  more moderate affair and looks within Beautiful Mind’s grasp. Sunday Jewel won last week’s juvenile opener, but lost the victory when  the stewards declared  the race void, because it was run over 1100 metres instead of 1000 metres as it was framed. An agreement was reached to have the race re-run today, but this has been ruled out under Rule 57 of the Rules of Racing, which not only prevents the re-run of a void race, but protects against any litigation. Trainer Maniram “Boboy” Maharaj’s runners which have dominated the entries of the early juvenile events has done so again and could repeat last week’s feat by again making a clean sweep of the $22,000 in prize money.