By Jimmie, Star Racing Writer

DISTINCTLY IRISH, the horse which handed Philip Feanny his 14th trainers' title three years ago, will be the cornerstone in the remaining months in a bid to wrest the champion trainer crown from rival Wayne Dacosta, who has held pole position at Caymanas Park for the past two years.

Feanny leads the standings with stakes money exceeding $14.2m followed closely by DaCosta on $12.4m.

With the three-year-old classic season over and the likes of Feanny's Guineas and St. Leger winner, RUM TALK, set to move on to open company, DaCosta, who tends to have more starters than his former mentor, should start making inroads into the lead.

However, with the distance races coming at the backend of the season, Feanny has started cranking up DISTINCTLY IRISH to defend the bacon.

Tomorrow, the six-year-old gelding faces seven rivals including DaCosta's speedy American horse, CLOCK WORK, at a mile in the L.R. 'Bob' Mayall Memorial and will be sternly tested after outstaying the mare LA REINA at 1500 metres in the Chairman's Trophy a month ago.

DISTINCTLY IRISH, top-rated in the absence of MIRACLE MAN, will carry 60.5 kilos whereas CLOCK WORK, who has tactical speed, will have 56.0 due to apprentice Omar Walker's two-kilo claim.

Outside of DISTINCTLY IRISH and CLOCK WORK, the only other runner, which can be truly considered is MAJOR MAYER, the improved wonder from Michael McIntosh's barn, who was far from disgraced when placing third in the Digicel Irish Jamaican Stakes on his Graded Stakes debut on June 2.

MAJOR MAYER carries 51.0 kilos and will be the horse to keep CLOCK WORK honest on the lead, setting it up for DISTINCTLY IRISH to close with the big weight.

CLOCK WORK has good tactical speed and can win up to a mile if allowed to steal away on the lead. However, MAJOR MAYER's only chance is to press as even with 51.0 kilos he cannot match DISTINCTLY IRISH's finishing speed.

DISTINCTLY IRISH's winning time on last, 1:33.1 for 1500 metres, was no big shake but he has been looking better at exercise, galloping 59.3 for a five-furlong workout, and should be closing too strong to be denied inside the final furlong.

Jackpots at $1.5m

ALLEGRO at 33-1 in the third event and market-springer SONOFAMINISTER were the toughest horses to spot on Wednesday's nine-race card.

However, there was still one winning Pick-9 ticket, worth $1m to its holder, sending the bet back to its guaranteed payout of $1m tomorrow afternoon, starting at the third event.

The Super-Six, which went cheaply, opens at the sixth event with its usual $500,000 minimum payout.

Pick-9 players should start with four bankers, RALLYTOMARKET in the second, UNTOUCHABLE in the third, FUSILIER in the fourth and PRIME MINISTER in the fifth.

RALLYTOMARKET should easily put away maidens, UNTOUCHABLE won't be beaten down in class so too FUSILIER at $170,000 and PRIME MINISTER obviously bled in his last race and now has lasix administered.