Ash Wednesday Reggae 6 a knotty affair

CAREFULLY chosen bankers are the keys to Ash Wednesday's Reggae 6 mandatory payout, which could be in excess of $30 million, considering the bet opens with a single-winner bonus of $20.7 million following last Saturday's minefield.

A trio of consecutive outsiders rocked the back end of Saturday's Reggae 6. UNCAPTURED EMPRESS started the storm at 10-1 in the fourth, followed by OH MY GOSH at 5-1 and SPRAGGA landing the coup de grace at 4-1 in the sixth.

The Reggae 6 opened with three chalks before things went downhill for punters. Jason DaCosta opened the programme with 3-5 favourite, LONDON SPIRIT, before AMAZING FORCE won at similar odds, followed by another short-priced winner, RUM WITH ME at 2-5.

Ash Wednesday's Reggae 6 is positioned to take out as many bets as possible from the opening event, five-year-olds, non-winners of three races, and their imported counterparts, who have won one race less.

Start strong with six runners, focusing on speed at five and a half furlongs. ADIRA, LINSTEAD MARKET, BOBBYTWOBAD, RADAM, SILENT AMERICAN and closer SOLACE should all be carried with the possibility of a collapsing pace inside the last half-furlong.

Treat the second likewise, a five-furlong straight race for four-year-olds, non-winners of three races and their foreign counterparts with one win under their girths.

There is no standout speed in the six-horse field, in which Anthony Nunes has two runners, foreigner BOWMORE and BROMPTON ALEX, both working well at exercise. However, BOWMORE is reporting off a lay-up after changing barns, whereas BROMPTON ALEX has been showing dismal form.

RILEY J, MARGARITA and MISS MARBELLA should be carried as insurance in the second despite the small field of six runners.

American PHENOMENAL POWER will be everybody's banker, deservedly so, for a third straight win in the third out the straight course.

Banking BUBBLING WARRIOR in the fourth will take some guts, considering she returns off a near five-month lay-up with sparingly used claiming rider Anthony Frazer. However, BUBBLING WARRIOR was never worse than third in five outings as a three-year-old last season. Caught by BROMPTON BOY at four furlongs straight last September, BUBBLING WARRIOR needs only proper steering to make all.

Go strong in the fifth with four selections, MONEY MUST, GREAT TRICK, MISS LYNTON and CRUZZIN AGAIN, enough insurance to cover a potentially tricky event for optional $350,0000 claimers at five and a half furlongs.

Be brave and bank Dalton Sirjue's HUMILITY in the Reggae 6 closer. Debuting as a three-year-old last April, HUMILITY showed vast improvement with tongue-tie fitted off a four-month break, caught at the wire by ROYAL MAVERICK on his third run.

Drawn best at five furlongs straight, HUMILITY should avenge his September three-way photo loss to GIANT VIGOROUS and ENTHUSIASM at four furlongs straight.

REGGAE 6

Race 1: 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9

Race 2: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

Race 3: 1

Race 4: 6

Race 5: 2, 10, 12, 13

Race 6: 13

TOTAL: $1,200

TWILIGHT 6

Race 5: 2, 10, 12, 13

Race 6: 13

Race 7: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

Race 8: 1

Race 9: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13

Race 10: 2

TOTAL: $2,160

BONUS BETS

EARLY 5 STAR

Race 4: 6

Race 5: 2, 10, 12, 13

Race 6: 13

Race 7: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

Race 8: 1

TOTAL: $240

LATE 5 STAR

Race 6: 13

Race 7: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

Race 8: 1

Race 9: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13

Race 10: 2

TOTAL: $540

BEST THREE

Race 6: Humility

Race 8: Minnehaha

Race 10: Don Kwesi

OUTSIDER

Race 9: Family Feud