AHWHOFAH (left), is about to tag ENGLISH STORM (out of pic right) to win the 37th CTL Gold Cup over 1400 metres at Caymanas Park on Saturday. The talented 3-y-o filly is owned by Winston Kong and trained by Wayne DaCosta. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photog

NAVAL COMMANDER, who has been a disappointing favourite in his three races to date, gets a glorious opportunity to atone when he takes on nine opponents in the Richard Ashenheim Cup over 1500 metres for maiden two-year-olds at Caymanas Park today.

This is the principal feature on the 10-race programme, which also features the $180,000 claiming race for the Eggie Sutherland Memorial Cup over 2000 metres.Although proving expensive to follow, NAVAL COMMANDER should finally get it right in the Richard Ashenheim Cup to be contested by 10 starters.

Two-day suspension

The bay colt from the stables of Percy Hussey was expected to break the ice last Wednesday in the Andrew H.G. Aguilar Memorial Cup over 1600 metres but, despite running on Lasix for the first time, found the 11-1 shot ETERNAL STAR too strong in the last furlong.

On all three occasions, NAVAL COMMANDER was ridden by visiting Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas for owner Ruth Hussey.

With Cardenas having picked up a two-day suspension for a riding infringement aboard winning horse HAIL THE GENIUS on November 26, the ride on NAVAL COMMANDER now goes to the 2000 champion jockey Shane Ellis, who has ridden winners for the Husseys this season.

Settle for second

Running on as usual, NAVAL COMMANDER had to settle for second again (beaten 2 1/4 lengths) to ETERNAL STAR, who covered the distance in the fairly good time of 1:39.1.

He has the best chance to release his maiden certificate today. The bay colt by Requete out of La Grande Dame reports in good nick and although he can expect stiff opposition from the Billy Williams-trained SIR ARCHIBALD, who showed some promise on his recent debut in the Hi-Pro Stables Choice Feeds Trophy and has been looking up at exercise since, as well as ALLTHEBEST (working well), NAVAL COMMANDER, with the more experienced Ellis aboard, looks the right choice.

SOY MUJER, meanwhile, has been running consistently well since winning over the distance on October 1 and with a mere 52kg, is tipped to resume her winning ways in the Eggie Sutherland Memorial Cup over 2000 metres, with champion jockey Omar Walker riding for trainer Fernando Geddes.

Her main rivals in the 10-horse field are MOON DANCER and EL PEQUENO, both ideally suited to the distance.

Speedy

Other firm fancies on the card are the speedy MACHISMO in the third race for open allowance horses, KIKO to tag LIL TIGER in the fifth, HERETOETERNITY to stave off MAHARANI in the eighth and the very fit THANKSWITHASMILE to stave off GALLAVANTER and ROYAL MAJESTY in the knotty closing race over 1200 metres in which the maximum 16 is slated.rapher