Take Excellence

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Twelve native-bred maiden two-year-olds are down to contest today's Caymanas Park feature race for the Lester Saunders Memorial Cup over 1400 metres, among them a newcomer in ANGEL OF JOY.

A dark bay filly by Vanadium out of Jamaican Dream, ANGEL OF JOY, from the stables of Richard Azan, has been coming along nicely at exercise and reports forward in condition.

However, she will have to prove something special in order to upstage top contenders EXCELLENCE and COLONEL WALES, to be ridden by top jockeys Omar Walker and Paul 'Country' Francis, respectively.

The Percy Hussey-trained COLONEL WALES made a quiet debut on June 13 when finishing seventh lengths fourth to PEDRO BLUFF over 600 metres straight after missing the break. The bay colt by Region Of Merit out of November Lace has been stepped up at exercise in preparation for today's encounter and with the visor removed for this race, will prove a tough opponent.

Preference, however, is for the Wayne DaCosta-trained EXCELLENCE.

Chestnut filly

This chestnut filly by Traditional out of the Reprieve mare Pleasant Company caught the eye on her recent debut when failing by a length to catch ALLABOUTTHECASH in a fast-run 1100-metre race (1:06.4). She would have gained immensely from the experience and with the longer distance even more to her liking, EXCELLENCE (working well) is confidently expected to go one better, at the expense of COLONEL WALES.

DaCosta should make it a double with one of his three charges in the competitive-looking open allowance race over 1100 metres, to be contested by nine starters.

The eight-time champion trainer saddles the fancied runners LITTLE WASP (Walker up), cthe onsistent THE GUARDIAN, under three-time champion jockey Hubert 'Chinna' Bartley, and the fleet-footed MR. SKILL, who will have to be caught with 4.0kg female apprentice Georgina Sergeon in the saddle.

The American filly LITTLE WASP, having failed by a half-length to catch WORKING IMAGE over 1200 metres recently, looks tempting at the weights with 51.5kg and gets the nod.

I also like the stretch-running GUIDING LIGHT to win the opening race over 1820 metres, SAILING TIME in the third, QUEEN OF MY HEART in the fourth, NEPTUNE to stave off old rival ALLORA in the sixth and SKITTLE QUEEN to catch THE CHIEF in the closing Track Price Plus Dig Out Handicap over the round-five course.