Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

DANCINGWITHTHESTARS, running at odds of 7-1 with veteran jockey David 'Scorcher' McKenzie aboard, gets up in time to win the eighth race for maiden three-year-old fillies over 1300 metres by 1-1/2 at Caymanas Park last Saturday. Trained by Philip Feanny, the filly finished ahead of stable-companion ZUNZUN (partly hidden along the rails), with Winston Griffiths riding. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Thanks to a stunning upset by ROYAL PEARL in the second race and to a lesser extent RAMPAGE at 11-1 in the Eros Trophy, the Pick-9 proved a pipedream for punters at Caymanas Park last Saturday.

ROYAL PEARL, running in a cheap field of maiden five-year-olds and up, ran on strongly in the last furlong to catch the battling leaders THREE GOOD FRIENDS and ARRONCHEVAR, both of whom cancelled out each other on the lead in the last 100 metres with apprentice Everton Bennett in the saddle.

Sometimes it's an exercise in futility to read form in races such as the second.

ROYAL PEARL, who is trained by Paul Smith, defied logic in finishing ahead of other highly fancied runners such as THREE GOOD FRIENDS and the 3-5 favourite JAMMING, who could only manage fourth.

When all three last met over the straight five course in the race won by SUCCESS on January 12, ROYAL PEARL was never a factor, whereas the fleet-footed THREE GOOD FRIENDS failed by a nose to stave off SUCCESS with JAMMING close up in third.

Then on February 2, JAMMING finished a good second to JACKENIMBLE over 1400 metres, while ROYAL PEARL finished 19 lengths fifth. Despite all that, one tipster, Dr Paul Wright (KLAS), was brave enough to tip ROYAL PEARL, who paid over $700 to win, as a nap selection.

Big performance was turned in on Saturday by the Anthony Nunes-trained 3-y-o colt ROYAL IMAGE, who romped the valuable Sir Howard Stakes over 1200 metres by the resounding margin of 15 lengths despite being eased by jockey Shane Ellis in the last furlong.

Vintage season

This season is shaping up to be a vintage one for three-year-olds. Already we have two exceptional colts in ROYAL IMAGE and the Wayne DaCosta-trained COMMANDER ZERO who is unbeaten in two starts. Add to the list, SUPER DAVE and THE REAL STREAM and this year's 2000 Guineas on April 5 is worth going miles to see.

But after Saturday the big talk in racing circles is the inevitable clash between ROYAL IMAGE and COMMANDER ZERO, both dubbed 'murderers'. And what happens when two murderers clash - There Will Be Blood.