ONE OF the major sponsored races at Caymanas Park today, is the 20th running of the MegaFone Caribbean Sprint Championship (invitational) over 1200 metres for native bred three-year-olds and up.

Offering a total purse of $2 million, the grade one sprint has attracted 13 starters, including last year's winner RAMPAGE to be ridden by Florida-based Jamaican jockey Allen Maragh.

It also includes hot ante-post favourite MUSICAL MAESTRO, bidding for his fourth straight win with five-time champion jockey Trevor Simpson again at the helm, as well as the consistent five-year-old mare LA REINA under champion jockey Brian Harding and not the least, the unbeaten three-year-old filly OUTSTANDING with U.S.-based Jamaican jockey Andrew Ramgeet riding for the veteran 'Hall of Fame' trainer Allan 'Billy' Williams.

The Dwight Chen-trained MUSICAL MAESTRO has progressed along the right lines this season, having won five races from seven starts, including four on the trot.

As a result, the five-year-old chestnut gelding by Royal Minister out of the 1994 One Thousand Guineas winner Melissa's Song has established himself as the top sprinter in the country and winning looks a mere formality, given the necessary luck in running.

With Simpson up, MUSICAL MAESTRO turned in the weight-carrying performance of the season when landing the Reggae Trophy race over the straight five course in a driving finish from LA REINA on September 29, this in near-track record time of 56.2 under the heavy impost of 60.5kg.

He came back on October 13 to slam the likes of LA REINA and RAMPAGE in the grade one None Such Sprint over 1200 metres and judging from the manner of that victory, it will take a brave punter to oppose him in present frame of mind.

MUSICAL MAESTRO is highly favoured by the conditions of weight allotment and, having worked fairly well, should repeat at the expense of LA REINA and the up in class filly OUTSTANDING, who is unbeaten in five starts but faces what amounts to her stiffest test to date.

- O.C.