File
Dane Nelson ... will be aboard COMMANDER ZERO, the ante post favourite for the Lotto Classic.

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

Fourteen native bred three-year-olds are down to face the starter in today's $2.5 million Lotto Classic feature for the Governor's Cup over 2000 metres at Caymanas Park and indications are that COMMANDER ZERO, now kindly treated, will justify favouritism.

From the stables of champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, COMMANDER ZERO who has won three of his four races to date, lost his unbeaten tag on April 5 when beaten into second place by the talented ROYAL IMAGE in the Jamaica Licensed Bookmakers 2000 Guineas over 1600 metres.

Despite that commendable effort in the Guineas, COMMANDER ZERO returns with the conditions of weight allotment overwhelmingly in his favour and in the absence of ROYAL IMAGE and the 1000 Guineas and Bigga Oaks winner ALSAFRA, both of whom bypassed the race owing to the ridiculous conditions attached, looks hard to oppose with a mere 52.5kg and title-chasing jockey Dane Nelson aboard.

In finishing 2 3/4 lengths second in the 2000 Guineas, COMMANDER ZERO was 9 1/2 lengths clear of the third and fourth horses MINISTEROFJUSTICE and LEONIDAS respectively, yet the latter has been asked to allow him one kilo today. That's after COMMANDER ZERO had won three consecutive races by the combined margin of 51 lengths!

It's hard to recall any horse who has been let off this lightly in a major race and despite facing worthwhile challenges from JOSE WALES, who makes his seasonal debut after winning the $3.5 million Supreme Ventures Jamaica 2-Y-O Stakes last Boxing Day, as well as the topline filly IT IS I who was second to ALSAFRA in both the 1000 Guineas and Oaks, not to mention her much improved stable-companion MACHISMO, COMMANDER ZERO should poach an early lead and not be caught.

Brilliant work

He has worked exceptionally well and should win from the Anthony Nunes-trained MACHISMO (Shane Ellis up) who showed his preference for a distance of ground when beating stable-companion EVANDER by 2 1/2 lengths over the circular nine course on April 30 and has worked brilliantly since.

Also on the well-supported 'Lotto Day' 12-race programme is the 12th running of the $1 million Lotto Sprint Trophy (grade one) to be contested by 11 starters.

The race marks the seasonal debut of the reigning champion sprinter MUSICAL MAESTRO (Brian Harding up) who shoulders top weight of 60.5kg in the star-studded field. Also present is the recent Lady Geeta Trophy winner MEDICAL REPORT who bids for his fourth consecutive win under champion jockey Omar Walker, the Richard Azan-trained RAMPAGE who won both the Eros Trophy and Arthur Jones Cup during the first quarter, as well as the very speedy 3-y-o colt SUPER DAVE and the imported 3-y-o filly SMOOTHABILITY who is coming off a recent post-to-post win in the Frankie Frazer Memorial Cup.

While the Noel Ennevor trained MEDICAL REPORT has never been better and RAMPAGE has trained really well for this race after being soundly beaten by MEDICAL REPORT in the Lady Geeta Trophy, both appear to be sitting too close to the Dwight Chen-trained MUSICAL MAESTRO to stop him today.

Having worked exceptionally well in preparation for this trophy, MUSICAL MAESTRO should return with a bang - 60.5kg and all.

I also like the fleet-footed MR SKILL in the opening War Zone Sprint, RANSOM MAN in the second, FOREVER MINE in the 6th, LATIN KING in the 8th and SKYWAY EXPRESS in the nightpan.