Chanticleer goes for Diamond Stakes

THE old “Iron Horse” Chanticleer, is among 13 horses for which subscriptions have been paid for this year’s Arima Race Club Diamond Stakes Handicap.

The 1,350 metres event will see the grey speedster Napoleon making a return to action after a long lay-off because of injury. In what is sure to be a very competitive event to be run off on Royal Oak Derby Day, September 24, the outstanding Sugar Mike, winner of the President’s Cup recently and runner-up Phantom Bidder, Movietowenmagic, Fortunate Flag, Invincibility and Smooth Operator hold the engagement. Meanwhile, there are 30 horses left in the Royal Oak Derby, headed by Top Of  The Class, who will be seeking to accomplish the Triple Crown. Two Barbadian and a Jamaican-bred three-year-old are listed among the field to challenge Top Of The Class. The two Bajans are Ginger Bay and Sweet Dreams, while the lone Jamaican is Royal Red. Also in the Derby field are recent winners Undisputed and My Aphrodite,  along with the highly thought of Celebration Time, Due Dilligence and Isle Be There. But before these “big events” comes the Arima Race Club Independence Cup  over 1,850 metres on the turf course on Independence Day, September 1. Phantom Bidder, Sugar Mike, while triple crown winner Carnival Messiah and Bajan trio Hard Dancer, Feet On Flames and Lion Country have all had subscriptions paid. Final subscriptions of $300 for this race is due on Monday.

Here are the runners in the ARC Independence Cup: Canaima; Carnival Messiah; Dottie’s Way; Feet On Flames; Golden Shufleur; Hard Dancer; Invincibility; Lion Country; Morgan Heritage; Outswinger; Phantom Bidder; Smooth Operator; Sugar Mike.
Those in the Derby are: Adffirm Decision; Baggy Green; Beautiful Mind; Bound To Dot Com; Celebration Time; Cornerstone; Due Dilligence; Firestorm; Fortaleza; Fresh Mandate; Full Of Promises; Ginger Bay; Golden Honour; Hannibal’s Will; Isle Be There; Joan Of Arc; Loud Music; My Aphrodite; Naturelly Classy; Renaissance Man; Royal Flush; Royal Red; Sir Vidia; Super Grey; Sweet Dreams; Sweet Tempo; Time To Fly; Top Of The Class; Undisputed; Van Nistelrooy. And the runners for the ARC Diamond Stakes are: Chanticleer; Fortunate Flag; Gold Conveyor; Invincibility; Lovely Honoree; Man Of Class; Miss Lover Lover; Moviietownemagic; Napoleon; Outswinger; Phantom Bidder; Smooth Operator; Sugar Mike.