Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

Bella In Bloom (Omar Walker) wins the ninth race over 1700 metres in fine style at Caymanas Park on Saturday as the even-money favourite. - Collin Hamilton/Freelance Photogrpaher

The second leg of the two-day Heroes Racing Carnival is on at Caymanas Park today, the well-supported holiday programme featuring the $1.1 million Governor-General's Stakes, along with two races sponsored by Hi-Pro Ace.

These are the $750,000 Hi-Pro Stables Choice Feeds Trophy over 1300 metres for native-bred maiden and untried two-year-olds and the 3-y-o and up overnight allowance race for the Ace Supercentre Trophy over the circular nine course, which also offers a total purse of $750,000.

Among the six declared for the mile and quarter Governor-General's Stakes (grade one) are two-time Horse of the Year, MIRACLE MAN, who shoulders top weight of 60.5kg with visiting champion jockey Brian Harding aboard, this year's Derby winner THE BOMBER as well as the St. Leger winner RUM TALK and the Lotto Classic (Governor's Cup) winner IL CAIMANO.

Equal to the task

The Allan 'Billy' Williams trained MIRACLE MAN is up against the best of the three-year-olds in training an asked to give away lumps of weight to each of them, is such a classy thoroughbred that he should prove equal to the task.

Indeed, MIRACLE MAN is coming off a recent win an having to work overtime in order to outfinish subsequent fast-time winner MAJOR MAYER over 1600 metres in open allowance company on September 15, seems on the way back to his best, this after being sidelined by a leg operation for the better part of nine months.

Owned by Joseph Duany, the illustrious five-year-old horse by Law Of The Sea out of Hya has had two races since returning to active competition on August 6 in the valuable Prime Minister's Stakes over this trip and with his arch-rival DISTINCTLY IRISH (who beat him in the PM Stakes) absent from today's line-up, it should pave the way for career win No. 19.

MIRACLE MAN, who created history in winning the US$100,000 Confraternity Classic in Puerto Rico last December, has looked his old self in recent exercise spins and should wear down the lightly weighted front-running THE BOMBER where it matters.

JUVENILES

Meanwhile, 12 juveniles have been declared for the Hi-Pro Stables Choice Feeds Trophy, four of whom will be racing for the first time.

Among them is the well-forward debutante HOMBRE from the stables of veteran trainer Noel Ennevor. A bay colt by Pat N Jac out of Muchacha Favorita, HOMBRE has been showing good speed at exercise and along with THE GUARDIAN and the promising IT IS I, should fight out the finish.

Both THE GUARDIAN and IT IS I finished second to THE REAL STREAM and THE QUEEN respectively on their initial outings, but there was more to like about the manner in which IT IS I acquitted herself to the task and could be deemed unlucky not to have overhauled THE QUEEN. Trained by Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, the Footloose II - Private Number offspring will be better for the experience and with the distance more suitable, is tipped to go one better with Harding astride.

Other firm fancies on the 12-race programme are the in-form AITCHEMESBEAGLE to stave off PECKUS OUT in the Ace Supercentre Trophy race over 1820 metres, RIGGED TO WIN in the second race, BORN FIGHTER in the fifth, NUMERO UNO in the eighth and MISS CODY BANKS in the nightpan.