Orville Clarke, Freelance Reporter
The grey Circle Drome is brought with well-timed run by top apprentice Omar Walker to win Saturday's Gerry Skelton Memorial Cup feature over 1000m at Caymanas Park. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Two-time Horse of the Year, MIRACLE MAN, makes his long-awaited return to active competition at Caymanas Park today when he faces the 2004 Horse of the Year, DISTINCTLY IRISH, in the $1.1 million Prime Minister's Stakes grade one feature over 2000 metres.
Also on the 12-race holiday programme are the 2007 Independence Day Stakes Trophy over 1600 metres to be contested by a maximum field of $170,000 claimers and the 3-y-o restricted allowance race for the Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association of Jamaica Trophy over 1400 metres, a non-winners of two event in which 10 have been declared.
But the focus of attention is definitely the face-off between Derby and Superstakes winners MIRACLE MAN and DISTINCTLY IRISH, to be ridden by leading jockey Trevor Simpson and Winston Griffiths respectively.
Incidentally, Simpson has been named in the Independence Day honours list. He will be conferred the Order of Distinction for services to the racing industry. The five-time champion jockey will receive the award at an official ceremony at King's House on Heroes Day, Monday, October 15.
Significantly, MIRACLE MAN is out for the first time since his historic victory in the US$100,000 Confraternity Classic over nine furlongs at the El Commandante racetrack in Puerto Rico on December 9 last year, when ticking off his 11th consecutive win, 10 in a row on local soil.
He was subsequently sidelined by a leg injury and underwent an operation early in the year. But the big five-year-old chestnut horse by Law Of The Sea-Hya has fully recovered and having been extensively prepared to meet this engagement, should return with a bang. To say that he has been burning up the track at exercise would be an understatement.
Looking good
( L - R ) Distinctly Irish , Miracle Man
Owned by Joseph 'Fudgie' Duany and trained by the legendary 'Hall of Famer' Allan 'Billy' Williams, MIRACLE MAN looked the part at exercise when cantering nine furlongs on Thursday morning, galloping the last five in a brisk 1:00.2. Before that, he galloped seven furlongs in an easy 1:28.0, the last six in 1:15.1, while on Tuesday, July 24, he was caught in a fast six-furlong gallop of 1:12.3, all bullet works.
There is no doubt that the reigning 'Horse of the Year' is a better animal than the Philip Feanny-trained DISTINCTLY IRISH, having beaten him convincingly on a number of occasions - twice in back-to-back Red Stripe Superstakes over 2000 metres and again over the distance in last October's Governor-General's Stakes when giving him all of 11.5kg.
The question, however, is whether MIRACLE MAN can upstage the very fit hat-trick seeker DISTINCTLY IRISH after a eight-month lay-off.
Judging from his preparation, I doubt it. The big two should outclass the others in the six-horse field.
Other firm fancies are the unbeaten filly OUTSTANDING from the Billy Williams camp to make it four straight in the opening sprint race, DANCE AWAY in the third, RIZZI LEE in the fourth, DANIELLE MY GIRL to repeat in the sixth, CHANEL to rebound in the eighth, ALPHA LUPA in the ninth and SIR MOHANDAS BABA over MICHAEL POWER in the closing Independence Day Stakes Trophy.
