Stick with The Rebel

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The first Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) claiming series for 2009 moves into its fifth and penultimate round at Caymanas Park with seven down to face the starter over the straight five course.

The race is confined to horses in the $220,000 and less claiming spread.

Also on the nine-race programme, which com-mences at 12:45 p.m., is the two-year-old maiden special event for the Eddie Black Memorial Cup over 600 metres straight.

This has attracted five youngsters, including the well-forward American filly BIG DIVA who, based on exercise reports, should get off the mark immediately.

The CTL Claiming race is not as straightforward in that most of the seven starters are in with decent chances.

These include hat-trick seeker TESSANNE, her old rival DIGI N' JIGGY, AVABELLE, THE REBEL and not least, COCK ROBIN, who has the distinction of winning two races in the series so far this season when trained by Lazel Khwalsingh.

COCK ROBIN failed in his bid to make it six in a row on April 29 when beaten into third place by MEDICAL ACCOUNT, in race four of the series over 1500 metres.

Prior to that, he won consecutive sprint races on $295,000 and $260,000 claiming tags and is still in good nick for today's encounter.

The consistent six-year-old horse, who now takes orders from trainer Tensang Chung, is not too high in the handicaps - with 55.0kg - to rebound under competent 2.0kg claiming apprentice, Rayan Wilson.

On current form, TESSANNE, from the stables on in-form trainer Barrington Rambally, is light enough with 49.5kg under title-chasing jockey Paul Francis to extend COCK ROBIN, while on back class, THE REBEL could well topple both, now eased sufficiently in the weights and also administered Lasix for the first time.

tempting

Indeed, THE REBEL looks tempting at the weights with 52.0kg (Robert Stewart up), especially after his close fourth to TESSANNE under top weight of 57.0kg over the course on April 29.

Trained by Rudolph Hardial, THE REBEL has looked in good condition coming into this race and despite the sound claims of COCK ROBIN, TESSANNE and DIGI N' JIGGY, this lightly raced four-year-old gelding by Tracking out of the Wise Emissary mare Nadege is tipped to score an overdue win.

His two wins to date have both come over the straight five course and with only 52.0kg, should get it right today.

I also like CATEGORY DANCER to win the first race, the four-year-old debutante WAP (working well) in the fourth, the unbeaten SKITTLE QUEEN in the fifth, THE REAL STREAM over FIRST TIME LUCKY in the eighth and BULLSEYE in the ninth and final, the Track Price Plus Dig Out Handicaps.