Champion trainer John O'Brien is the most enviable man at the centralised venue - Santa Rosa Park, Arima and on Boxing Day (tomorrow), looks like the trainer they all will have to stop.
O’Brien stable has been exemplary in the three major events on Boxing Day – The St James Stakes, The St. Ann's Stakes and the Gold Cup in the Juvenile events which is the St Ann's and St. James Stakes.
In 2017, The stable struck with Battle Cry and Leading Lady in the Juvenile event before Thisonesforron beat Bigman In Town in the Gold Cup. Last year, the stable repeated the dosage when General JN trotted up in St James before Leading Lady blew her field away in the St Ann’s Stakes. That was hours before Thisonesforron did the Gold Cup Double with an impressively run - The emblem of Staying Supremacy of the Southern Carribean.
Come Boxing Day, O‘Brien has a tremendous opportunity to write his name into the annals of local racing history if he can win the three top events on three consecutive occasions. This feat has never been accomplished at Santa Rosa Park since the centralized facility was opened in 1994.
Clearly, the champion trainer seems to have a stranglehold in the Two-Year-Old event as His cup ‘runneth over’ with talented juveniles.
O'Brien has four horses engaged in the St James Stakes for the Colts & Gelding going over a distance of 1,350 metres. His unbeaten Early Bird could prove difficult to beat. But he has Marengo in place if Early Bird misfires. However, he will have to fear the Harold Chadee trained Regal Intention which intention is to stop the O’Brien party.
In the St Ann’s Stakes, the overwhelming favourite will be the Chevan Maharaj owned Shes So Spectacula. O'Brien has a very good filly in this Jamaican bred horse and she looks unbeatable with Carlos Montalvo being flown in from Miami to partner the filly.
However, the final hurdle will be O’Brien toughest in his quest for glory. O’Brien will saddle the Horse Of The Year Thisonesforron in his attempt to win his third consecutive Gold Cup, a feat never accomplished in the history of racing in Trinidad and Tobago. O’Brien knows he need to have Thisonesforron at Concert Pitch to turn back the Shaiffique Khan trained American bred filly Princess Suri. The AGA Khan Stable-owned horse will receive six kilos from Thisonesforron and if the filly is anywhere near her best she could topple the champion. We wait with anticipation for Boxing Day when Thisonesforron could write his name into racing history or Princess Suri can be crowned the new Queen of Santa Rosa Park.