Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer
CHADMAN is pushed out by champion jockey Omar Walker to win the She's On Wheels Trophy over 1100 metres at Caymanas Park on Saturday, July 19. CHADMAN is fancied to land today's feature, the grade one Eilleen Cliggott Memorial Trophy over 1300 metres. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
The 10-race programme which was scheduled to be run at Caymanas Park last Saturday, has been rescheduled for today with a 12:30 p.m. post time.
In the wake of tropical storm Gustav, a decision was taken by the Caymanas Track Limited's (CTL) officials last Friday morning to postpone the meet. No mid-week racing was scheduled for today, so the meet was slotted in to fill the spot.
Seven horses are slated for the Eilleen Cliggott Memorial Trophy graded stakes over 1300 metres, feature event on the card.
Indications are that the in-form American gelding CHADMAN will supplement his recent grade one successes by taking the lion's share of the $900,000 purse.
The race is run in memory of the legendary female trainer, Eileen Cliggott, who passed away on October 16 last year at age 90.
For her contribution to the sport, Cliggott has been awarded the national honour, Order of Distinction (O.D.), to be conferred posthumously on Heroes Day, October 20.
Remarkable season
Meanwhile, CHADMAN, will come face-to-face with the reigning champion sprinter, MUSICAL MAESTRO; the season's top sprinter MEDICAL REPORT and also one-time Caribbean sprint champion RAMPAGE, who has been looking up at exercise in preparation for this race.
The Noel Ennevor-trained MEDICAL REPORT is enjoying a remarkable season, having won four of his past five races at sprint distances.
However, the seven-year-old son of The Medic failed in his bid to make it five in a row when last raced on July 19, easily falling victim (second) to CHADMAN in the She's On Wheels Trophy race over 1100 metres.
Although expected to run well in the hands of competent 2.0kg claiming apprentice Rayan Wilson, MEDICAL REPORT could be hard pressed to turn the tables on CHADMAN at 1300 metres.
A bigger danger must be the Dwight Chen-trained MUSICAL MAESTRO, who has been beaten by both MEDICAL REPORT and CHADMAN in two of four races this season.
However, MUSICAL MAESTRO got on the scoresheet last time out when outclassing open allowance horses in the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission Trophy over 1400 metres on August 1.
Although back to grade one company, MUSICAL MAESTRO, with in-form Dane Nelson again in the saddle, will only go down fighting despite top weight of 60.5kg. He definitely has the class to win again.
Right choice
Still, CHADMAN looks the right choice, having beaten both MUSICAL MAESTRO and MEDICAL REPORT in recent months.
The son of Concerto ran on strongly to beat a star-studded field in the valuable Digicel Irish Jamaican Stakes over today's trip on Derby Day, June 14. And last time out looked the real deal when leading home MEDICAL REPORT by three lengths in underfoot conditions for the She's On Wheels Trophy, both with champion jockey Omar Walker in the saddle.
CHADMAN is by no means too high in the scales with 58.5kg to repeat and is a firm fancy to do so, with Walker again at the helm.
I also like TESSANNE in the second, FIRST PRINCESS in the third, AHWHOFAH in the fourth, GALLAVANTER in the seventh and YOSHI in the 10th and final.
