Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer 
LADY WALES, ridden by former champion jockey Trevor Simpson for trainer Percy Hussey, powers home to win Wednesday's 1000-metre straight eighth race at Caymanas Park. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
TRAINER Anthony Nunes' SMOOTH DUDE reports off a three-month lay-up, but is tipped to return to winning ways in this afternoon's feature race at Caymanas Park, the 1400-metre L.C. McKenzie Memorial for Overnight Allowance runners.
The four-year-old grey colt was progressing nicely from the backend of last season through February of this year, winning four races and placing third in the Grade Two King's Plate behind PASSA PASSA and ACCOMPONG.
After posting his fourth win, an easy victory at a mile - beating MARK TO MARKET and SLOGAN - SMOOTH DUDE reared at the gate in his next start and finished third behind SIR KHAN and TOBAGO as a 3-5 favourite when taking on Overnight Allowance runners mid-March.
Nicely freshened
Given a break by Nunes after a hectic early season, SMOOTH DUDE has been freshened nicely for his return, beating up on stablemate AD INIFINITUM at exercise.
He clocked 1:07.2 for 1100 metres last Sunday and looks set to rebound with Paul Francis aboard.
In addition, he comes in light with 49.0 kilos, a decent weight with which he should easily stalk rivals before taking control leaving the half-mile.
The afternoon's other top class race, the 1000-metre round ninth event for Open Allowance horses, looks tailor-made for Anthony Ferguson's SMOOTHABILITY, who takes a drop in class from Grade One.
The three-year-old American-bred filly took on Graded Stakes runners in her last two races, skipping Open Allowance and narrowly lost both events.
After beating Overnight Allowance runners at 1300 metres on May 10, SMOOTHABILITY was pushed up to Graded Stakes 14 days later in the Lotto Sprint at 1100 metres where she closed fast to finish third by a half-length behind MEDICAL REPORT and MUSICAL MAESTRO.
Just three weeks later, Ferguson again entered SMOOTHABILITY in a Grade One race, the 1300-metre Digicel Irish Jamaican Stakes and she ran big, opening up on rivals to lead into the lane before CHADMAN pounced.
Extremely light
Still extremely light, carrying the minimum 48.0 kilos with lightweight rider Leo Miller, SMOOTHABILITY, who stayed on for second in the Digicel Stakes, will have to be caught at the minimum distance. She has already won three races from in front locally and is too light to oppose against her heavier rivals.
RIGMAROLE and EXPLOSIVE PEAK are speedy customers but with 56.0 kilos each in an expected duel, they should fall prey to SMOOTHA-BILITY, who should not carry a kilo more than the 48.0 declared, making her an unbeatable 17 lb lighter.
ROMEZ, who is a decent run-on sprinter, should fill the runner-up slot after extending repeat winner PASSA PASSA at 1200 metres on June 7. He is nicely drawn along the rail, which he relishes and should be closing past used-up horses in the stretch run.
Elsewhere on the 11-race card, which has a Pick-9 carryover of $13 million, trainer Alden Francis' TWENTY NINE, who registered a hat-trick of wins is less than a month, between March 8 and April 5, before being outsped by CHOSEN ONE at 1000 metres straight in his bid for a four-timer, should return to winning ways in the Super-6 opener. The Super-6 opens at the fourth event, ending at the ninth and has its usual guaranteed jackpot of $500,000.
