RISTO CAT (left), ridden by apprentice Delroy Beharie, wins a stirring stretch battle with COMMON D, partnered by Rayan Wilson, in Wednesday's 10th race over 1400-metres at Caymanas Park.
Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer
OUTSTANDING looks set to rebound from her Grade 1 loss on Superstakes Day, facing rivals a class lower in this afternoon's 1100-metre Pringle Cup for Open Allowance runners, co-feature on today's 10-race programme at Caymanas Park.
MR. SKILL is tipped to win the day's supporting feature - the seventh event - Sweet Ruckus Trophy for native bred and imported two-year-olds over 1400 metres.
Unbeaten and hunting a sixth straight win in the MegaFone Sprint on Superstakes Day, OUTSTANDING skipped class to take on the best local sprinters in the land and threw quite a scare when she blasted into the lane a length and a half clear and quickened under Andrew Ramgeet.
Trained by Allan E. 'Billy' Williams, OUTSTANDING set torrid splits of 22.3, 33.3, 45.4 and 58.3, disputing the lead with PERFECT STEP from the half-mile before leading into the lane on the bridle.
However, the three-year-old filly was caught a half-furlong out by seasoned Grade 1 sprinter MUSICAL MAESTRO before NASATOL and the fast-closing CLASSY BOY PETE relegated her to fourth close home.
Having held her own with 53.0 kilos in Grade 1, OUTSTANDING looks tough to beat carrying 48.0 kilos in the lower class.
Peter McMaster's American-bred EXPLOSIVE PEAK looks to be OUTSTANDING's main threat on the lead but the five-year-old mare does not like to be challenged early and has not won a race on the bends for more than a year, recording her last three victories at 1000 metres straight.
Lightweight
When running the bends, EXPLOSIVE PEAK tends to prefer an easier pace at longer distances, races in which she uses her speed to slip away from slower horses as she attempted to do in her last two races but failed dismally last time out in the MegaFone Mile.
However, she reports extremely light with 50.0 due to champion jockey-designate Omar Walker's two-kilo claim, which has her coming in at a competitive 50.0 kilos, significantly lighter than the 58.0 and 60.5 kilos she carried in her two previous races.
Despite EXPLOSIVE PEAK tumbling in the weights, OUTSTANDING should still upstage the more experienced American as she is at her lightest ever with 48.0 kilos.
Hall of Famer Williams has ensured his charge will not carry an ounce more by calling in lightweight rider Peter Bryan to partner the speedy three-year-old. EXPLOSIVE PEAK and OUTSTANDING will both try to make all but ASKAWOMAN will ensure an honest pace to the top of the lane where class should take its toll on her, leaving the top two and the closers to decide the event. DIESEL and NASATOL finished third and fourth, respectively, behind JACK SPARROW in an Open Allowance event at 1300 metres on December 12 and will again try making their bids from off the pace if the top two falter.
However, OUTSTANDING has been primed for her return, fitted with a figure-eight and will be administered Lasix for the first time.
She has the pace to sit with EXPLOSIVE PEAK, who does not like company on the lead and should move away from the American inside the final half-furlong.
