Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

With $23.3 million already in the kitty, chances are that the mushrooming Pick-9 could offer a payout close to $30 million at Caymanas Park tomorrow.

Having eluded punters for 15 consecutive race days, Pick-9 fever should intensify from early and every racing fan will be gunning for a piece of the action. The 'long-pocket' gamblers, or big spenders, have been licking their wounds in recent weeks, but this should not deter them. They will be coming with even greater resources tomorrow, but in the end it will be Lady Luck who will determine the outcome.

Pooling resources

With the jackpot growing enormously, many punters have been pooling their resources together in order to maximise their chances of winning. So far, their efforts have come to naught.

The Pick-9 will embrace races three to 11 on the well-supported RJR Communications raceday programme, featuring the season's final classic, the RJR Jamaica St Leger over 2000 metres.

The RJR Group will be sponsoring the race for the first time, and among the 10 three-year-olds declared, it should once again come down to a straight fight between the classy filly ALSAFRA (Brian Harding up) and arch-rival ROYAL IMAGE (Shane Ellis), first and second respectively in the June 14 Digicel Derby over 2400 metres. On that occasion, ALSAFRA beat the talented colt ROYAL IMAGE by three lengths, but given the shorter distance of the St Leger, it should be pretty close between them.

Followed

ALSAFRA, however, romped the Bigga Jamaica Oaks over the St Leger distance in the smart time of 2:07.1 on May 24 and now one step away from an historic triple crown, the Fitznahum Williams-trained filly ought to be followed.

In addition to the Pick-9, the card offers two Super-6s. In the first Pick-9 race (the 3rd) over 1820 metres, victory should go to the two-turn specialist SIR ROMEL, who has won two of his last three paces. RAINBOW TRAIN and HEART OF STEEL are twin dangers.

The fourth race over 1200 metres for maiden three-year-olds should resolve itself into a straight fight between BDELLIUM who has been knocking at the door and lightly raced CHARLIE CHAPLIN, who showed promise on his recent debut in the same 1200-metre race in which BDELLIUM was second. BDELLIUM is preferred, but now better for the run and administered Lasix as well, CHARLIE CHAPLIN will prove a dangerous opponent.

Hat-trick seeker JACK BE GOOD gets the nod over FUSILIER and WE WILL SEE in the fifth over 1100 metres, while consistent HONEY BUNNY, who was just touched off by LADY LIZ recently, is preferred to PASS LINE in the sixth over 1200 metres.

Pick-9 fancies

Other Pick-9 fancies in order are the 2006 Derby winner RANSOM MAN ahead of SANKOFA in the 7th, SAMMY OH SO as a banker in the 8th, PRINCE TERRON over SMOOTH DUDE in the 9th, MOST WANTED in the 10th and ALSAFRA ahead of ROYAL IMAGE in the 11th (St Leger).

PICK-9 FANCIES

(3) SIR ROMEL/HEART OF STEEL

(4) BDELLIUM/CHARLIE CHAPLIN

(5) JACK BE GOOD/FUSILIER/WE WILL SEE

(6) HONEY BUNNY/PASS LINE

(7) RANSOM MAN/SANKOFA

(8) SAMMY OH SO

(9) PRINCE TERRON

(10) MOST WANTED/FIRE D TRAINER

(11) ALSAFRA/ROYAL IMAGE