Ainsley Walters, Star Racing Writer

RUM TALK, with jockey Charles Hussey aboard. - Colin Hamilton

GUINEAS and St. Leger winner RUM TALK got a rude awakening on Saturday when he finished a dismal fifth against older horses in the one-mile Owen Silvera Memorial Cup at Caymanas Park.

Racing outside the three-year-old ranks for the first time, RUM TALK, who was denied Triple Crown glory after finishing second to THE BOMBER in the Jamaica Derby, just managed to secure fifth place by a neck over TOBAGO, who was stepping up in class to Open Allowance after winning an Overnight Allowance event on September 1.

The event was won by defending two-time Horse-of-the-Year, MIRACLE MAN, who RUM TALK should face in the prestigious Red Stripe Superstakes in November.

Trainer Philip Feanny said the pace was too hot for RUM TALK.

"It wasn't encouraging. He ran badly, very poorly," he said.

"He worked well, but the pace was something he had never encountered before. He was rushed a bit and never had a finishing kick," he pointed out.

RUM TALK's susceptibility in a true pace event was evident from down the backstretch as he failed to improve from next-to-last, having only one horse behind, the off-colour American-bred JUST SOME THOUGHTS.

Although the whip was being applied by Oneil Mullings from three furlongs out, RUM TALK failed to gain much and straightened fifth.

The customary late kick, which he showed to sweep past three-year-old peers MUCHO GUSTO and THE BOMBER to land the Guineas and Jamaica St. Leger, was missing as he closed mildly to edge a tiring TOBAGO for fifth place.

Although RUM TALK failed in his bid against older horses, Feanny still holds a strong hand for the Superstakes as his DISTINCTLY IRISH had convincingly beaten MIRACLE MAN in the Prime Minister's Stakes last month.

MIRACLE MAN was largely unimpressive on Saturday, ridden out to regain the advantage from a lighter MAJOR MAYER after stepping down in class from Graded Stakes for the Open Allowance race.

"His performance was very ordinary," said Feanny.

"If MAJOR MAYER is allowing him weight and runs so well, it means he's not back to himself. If so, why is he running?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Feanny said DISTINCTLY IRISH's loss to the mare LA REINA in the Viceroy Trophy two Saturdays ago was simply a matter of his runner carrying too much weight against a light speedster.

DISTINCTLY IRISH carried 60.5 kilos whereas LA REINA had 47.5, all of 13 kilos lighter and won by a length and quarter.

"With those handicaps and a lone speed in the race, that was expected," he said. "If you have a lone speed in a race, nine times out of 10 they win," he added.

The weight-for-age Superstakes, Feanny said, should be a straight duel between MIRACLE MAN and DISTINCTLY IRISH.

"More than likely it will be," he said. "There's nobody else around and the three-year-olds are moderate."