Campesino a firm banker

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

With DOUBLE THE HONEY having scored a 32-1 upset in the fifth race on last Saturday's Derby Day programme at Caymanas Park, the Pick-9 had no takers.

The Pick-9, which remains at $1 million, embraces races four to 12 on the well-supported programme, while the first Super-6 will be conducted from race one to six, the overlapping Super-6 from race seven to 12, with guaranteed minimums of $750,000 in place for both.

We look at the first Super-6 which gets under way with a $250,000-$210,000 claiming race over 1200 metres to be contested by eight starters.

upteenth win

The one best equipped to win is GHOST RAPPER, with leading jockey Omar Walker looking for his upteenth win aboard the consistent 7-y-o gelding. He finished only a length away third to THE VALIDICTORIAN and GREEN BERET over 1300 metres on May 18 and with LESTERAE expected to set a warm pace, they should play into the hands of GHOST RAPPER.

The four-year-old debutant MAN ALIVE looks best in a moderate field of maiden four-year-olds and up over 1100 metres in the second race, to be contested by 12 starters.

Trained by Richard Azan, MAN ALIVE, to be ridden by champion jockey Dane Nelson who has been going through a lean spell of late, had been working fairly well before Azan switched him to the equine pool recently.

Despite this, the chestnut colt by two-time 'Horse of the Year' Miracle Man out of the 1995 One Thousand Guineas winner Fiord looks a cut above this set of horses and should win from NEENO and THE LINCOLN LAWYER, both of whom ran fair races last time out.

The lightly-raced but highly thought of 3-y-o gelding CAMPESINO represents the day's five star banker in the third race (non winners of three) over 1100 metres, following his close second to the American colt ARGUMENT DONE over 1200 metres on June 8.

CAMPESINO, who was unbeaten in two races prior to that, was caught on the wire after looking all over the winner a furlong out. Many-time champion trainer Philip Feanny has called up in-form jockey Richard Mairs, replacing Paul 'Country' Francis.

With this quick sprint even more to his liking, CAMPESINO should pack too many guns for the stable-companions LUMINOUS TRIESTE and JADA'SFABULOUSSTAR in a field of nine.

The speedy REDS THOMAS should take a lot of catching in the CTL Exercise Riders' Race over 800 metres, this confined to conditional $180,000 claimers. BROTHER TO BROTHER, APPELLANT and POCKET ACE with female exercise rider Natalie Berger aboard, should ensure worthwhile opposition for REDS THOMAS in a field of 12.

EDISON, well drawn on the stands' side over the straight with Dane Nelson up, and JAYLEN with Walker aboard should win the fifth and sixth races, respectively. Both are proven campaigners over the distances and should win from AMICABLE (also well drawn) and the very fit SUNDOWN.

FIRST SUPER-6 FANCIES

(1) GHOST RAPPER/GREEN BERET

(2) MAN ALIVE/NEENO

(3) CAMPESINO

(4) REDS THOMAS/BROTHER TO BROTHER

(5) EDISON/AMICABLE

(6) JAYLEN/SUNDOWN