Today is the day of reckoning for the nine horses entered in the feature Coolmore Home Of Champions Stakes & Trophy over 1 800 metres at the Garrison Savannah. Â
It is the last opportunity for them to stake their claim at the distance for selection to the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup scheduled for March 3.
Three of the nine have won at 1 800 metres: John Brian, Captain Sully and Giovedi.
The Lord Michael Taylor-owned Daga will have an outstanding chance in this weight-for-age event. Â
The filly won six straight races at 1 570 metres before stepping up to 1 800 metres and losing to John Brian in the Queens Plate Handicap.
She then put in an improved effort when she finished fourth to Show Me The Money in the Victor Chandler Stakes & Trophy over 1 570 metres.
There certainly can be no doubt regarding Daga’s potential and other factors that work in her favour would be her weight (120 pounds) and her obvious class. At her best she would be good enough to win this.
One horse that is of grave concern to some is Indanger as he has been plagued by injuries that forced him away from the track. Additionally, he has not won since 2010.
With three wins from eight starts, Indanger ran a superb race in the Diamonds International MontBlanc Meisterstuck Handicap over 1 570 metres where he finished a gallant second.
Providing he exited that race with a clean bill of health, he could be a serious factor here.
John Brian failed badly in the Victor Chandler Stakes & Trophy when he stepped back up in the weights. It is hard to feel confident about him as he seems to be looking at the other side of the hill.
The Bill and Haley Blevin trio of Giovedi, Graeme Hill and Little Man Arran created a favourable impression.
But after their maiden victories, their improvement has not spread like the giant African snail.
Giovedi recently scored at today’s distance, taking 121 pounds in the Diamonds International Crown Of Light Handicap. On that occasion he drifted in the last 25 metres.
In Little Man Arran’s maiden victory, he carried 128 pounds. Since then when competing above his rating he has been nothing more than ordinary, but he appears the pace factor.
Graeme Hill’s lone success came in an 1 100 metres event shouldering 123 pounds.
In his only two attempts at 1 800 metres he was beaten a combined six lengths by Mystical Magic and John Brian, finishing third and sixth, respectively. On that evidence one can continue to search for a winner.
Ring Time has done well against this company when lightly weighted without getting to the photo shoot area.
Now forced to fly his syndicate’s flag, he can be expected to make a huge effort to hit the tins.
Blue Diamond Stable’s other pair of Captain Sully and Kingdora are less fancied here.
Captain Sully may use this race as a final prep for a later assignment.
While Kingdora was a surprising fourth in the Queen’s Plate Handicap over the trip, he is accustomed to the weight, but this distance, at his age, might not be his preferred tonic.
