The Jamaica Star :: Sport :: Take Ahwhofah, Royal Image in 1000, 2000 Guineas

Jimmie, Star Racing Writer

The impressive ROYAL IMAGE with jockey Shane Ellis aboard winning the Prince Consort Stakes. - file

HEADLINE nap selections such as MEDICAL REPORT, RAMPAGE and CLOCK WORK have proven that its not the big races, which are Super-6 and Pick-9 beaters but unpredictable five-year-old and upward maidens, non-winners-of-two and, of course, the usual suspects, $170,000 claimers.

Therefore for a shot at tomorrow's Jamaica Licensed Bookmakers Guineas Day Pick-9 carryover of $5.05m and the second of two $500,000 Super-6 games, take a shot at banking AHWHOFAH and ROYAL IMAGE in the 1000 and 2000 Guineas, respectively.

Using both as Pick-9 bankers would instantly leave punters with more options, at less cost, in far tougher events on the 12-race card.

NO MATCH

ALSAFRA has Brian Harding aboard, replacing apprentice Oral Bennett in the 1000 Guineas. She tried to make all in the Thornbird Stakes at 1400 metres but was no match when the Wayne DaCosta-trained filly came calling early in the stretch run.

AHWHOFAH's 1:13.4 last Saturday morning, working better than the opposition, as she did prior to the Thornbird Stakes, underlined her class. Her stablemate, HEART OF GOLD, should hand DaCosta the exacta after pipping ALSAFRA on the line in the Thornbird Stakes.

The 2000 Guineas appears to be a tough pick between DaCosta's COMMANDER ZERO and Anthony Nunes' ROYAL IMAGE.

Both have been excellent in their preparations, doing everything asked of them. However, with big horses, it is pace which counts, the ability to maintain a certain speed, in a competitive scenario, from start to finish, and this is where COMMANDER ZERO could be found guilty.

Unlike ROYAL IMAGE, who got blitzed by MR SKILL in a six-furlong event in December, and returned in February to show good speed and pace in two subsequent wins, no horse of worth has yet tested COMMANDER ZERO.

Jockey Dane Nelson had a go at him in the stretch run for his last win, which was his third straight romp.

Mr skill from the front

His stablemate, MR SKILL, runs one way, from in front. He won't get a mile but will ensure COMMANDER ZERO doesn't turn it into a match-race with ROYAL IMAGE.

SUPER DAVE is also expected to keep them honest, probably tracking MR SKILL, let's see how COMMANDER ZERO handles that.

ROYAL IMAGE will be stronger in the stretch run as COMMANDER ZERO may appear flawless in his wins but was not overly impressive last time out.

The early Super-6 should be a cinch as MISTER OFFICER in the first, MEDICAL REPORT in the second, THUNDER SQUAD in the third and THANKSWITHASMILE in the fifth, should ensure many winners a share of the $500,000 pie.

Seasoned MISTER OFFICER gets the nod over hyped-up MR BLAIR in the opening event at 1100 metres and MEDICAL REPORT should sprint away from CLASSY BOY PETE in the stretch run at 1200 metres after his solid display against CLOCK WORK at the distance.

THUNDER SQUAD takes a drop in class to claiming company and won't be beaten at 1100 metres whereas THANKSWITHASMILE should now go one better after just failing to tag MAGIC MOMENT at 1100 metres.