Local racing returns to Santa Rosa Park in Arima for the first time this year. The opening day will be run off on Saturday where there will be seven races. The feature event will be the NLCB Sian's Gold Sprint which is one of three events on the turf track with four other events on the main track.
The feature event will see the upset winner of the Stewards Cup, General JN coming back to seek the Stewards Cup/Gold Cup double. The eight-year-old has been allotted top-weight of 57 kilos in the Grade Three event on the turf course. General JN is the highest-rated horse in the country with a rating of 120 and he will attempt to hand out from six kilos to Super Bird and 15 kilos to Stewards Cup runner-up Top of The Game.
Trainer Glenn Mendez attacks the first major event with two runners General JN and Marvel Vigor. The latter has been allotted 45 kilos but rider Nela Mohammed could ride with 52 kilos. Dillon Khelawan will ride General JN.
Top of The Game is superbly weighted and on the bare form should win this event 'pulling a bus'. Kieran Razack has been given the ride and he will take along 44 kilos. Shaffique Khan must be smiling.
Champion trainer John O'Brien sends out the speedy Super Bird and Brain Boodramsing will ride. Last year's winner Cool Cat will try and defend his title with 51 kilos and Ronald Ali will do the steering. Trainer Lester Alexis knows he has a squeak. He also attacks this event with two horses and Arsalan will be his other runner. Jovika Boodramsing will ride Arsalan but he will have to take up over-weight. Finally, the Michael Lutchman-trained Pawan Putra closes off the seven-horse field. He will take along 52 kilos with Hall of Famer Ricky Jadoo having the leg up.
Day one of the racing season is carded to begin at 1 pm.
Here are the entries for the Arima Race Club Day 1 seven-race presentation.
DAY 1 ENTRIES
R1: 1 PM - NLCB PLAY WHE - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP - 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 70-55 - 1,750M - $17,710
143*1*Soca Harmony*J O'Brien/B Boodramsing*54*
706*2*Leonardo Angel*T Thomas/T Phillips*57*
644*3*Smooth Sailing*L Alexis/K Razack*50.5*
217*4*Supremacy*M Lutchman/R Ali*49*
112*5*Blue Agave*M Lutchman/R Jadoo*49.5*
808*6*Desert Dancer*C Rambaran/P Badrie*58.5*
532*7*Just Exhale*T Thomas/J Boodramsing*55*
R2: 1.40 PM - NLCB LOTTO - NATIVE BRED 4 YO AND OVER MAIDENS - 1,100M (TURF) - $13,915
237*1*Mona Lisa*R Frederick/N Flavenney*54*
058*2*Ziah*C Roberts/J Boodramsing*54*
076*3*D'Hummingbird*K Lucas/T Phillips*54*
-35*4*Midnight Lover*L Alexis/D Khelawan*57*
089*5*Gold For John*K Lucas/O Mohammed*54*
352*6*Alpha Centauri*H Singh/R Jadoo*54*
---*7*Happy Bird*J O'Brien/B Boodramsing*54*
836*8*JCPeyton*K Lucas/P Badrie*54*
--6*9*Emotional Damage*L Alexis/N Samaroo*54*
470*10*Quasimoto*R Ramroop/T Phillips*54*
R3: 2.20 PM - NLCB FAST CASH - NATIVE BRED 3 YO MAIDENS - 1,100M - $13,915
--6*1*Ukraine*JW-Samaroo/A Poon*54*
--5*2*Princess Royal*J O'Brien/B Boodramsing*54*
--2*3*Harts Gap*R Ramroop/J Boodramsing*54*
--3*4*Blinding Lights*J O'Brien/R Ali*54*
---*5*Fire Cracker*G Mendez/N Mohammed*54*
--4*6*Angry Bird*J O'Brien/P Badrie*54*
---*7*Beep Beep*G Emmanuel/O Mohammed*54*
---*8*Nuclear War*R Ramroop/R Jadoo*57*
R4: 3.05 PM - NLCB WIN FOR LIFE - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP - 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 50-35 - 1,500M - $14,415
661*1*Mafia Man*C Rambaran/P Badrie*53*
963*2*Star Of Wonder*K Lucas/A Poon*57*
212*3*Zelda*C Roberts/J Boodramsing*55*
428*4*Manos Ariba*C Roberts/N Abrego*57.5*
155*5*Davinci Code*M Lutchman/R Ali*55*
024*6*Princess Aruna*J O'Brien/B Boodramsing*56*
241*7*Comandante*M Lutchman/R Jadoo*57.5*
505*8*Twitter King*K Lucas/N Samaroo*56.5*
648*9*Sexy Eyes*H Singh/O Mohammed*56*
782*10*Proud Vanessa*S Khan/R Balgobin*50.5*
953*11*Princess Alex*T Thomas/T Phillips*50*
333*12*Davindra*L Alexis/D Khelawan*54*
885*13*CP Jet*R Frederick/N Flavenney*57*
R5: 3.45 PM - NLCB PICK 4 - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP - 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 30-0 - 1,500 (TURF) - $13,915
954*1*Redhotfillypepper*L Alexis/D Khelawan*53.5*
575*2*Pure Strike*K Lucas/J Arneaud*55.5*
667*3*Con Te Partiro*F De Freitas/R Ali*49.5*
212*4*She WBO On Time*J Rampersad/O Mohammed*52.5*
444*5*Fulfill*C Roberts/N Flavenney*58.5*
313*6*Kobe*M Lutchman/R Jadoo*58*
425*7*Lady Hamilton*C Rambaran/P Badrie*49.5*
334*8*Schwarzenegger*R Ramroop/T Phillips*58*
336*9*Man On Fire*R Ramroop/N Samaroo*49.5*
R6: 4.25 PM - NLCB SIAN'S GOLD SPRINT (GR III) -OPEN TO ALL HORSES 3 YO & OVER - 1,100M (TURF) - $66,240
221*1*Top Of The Game*S Khan/K Razack*42*
562*2*Pawan Putra*M Lutchman/R Jadoo*48*
321*3*Marvel Vigor*G Mendez/N Mohammed*45*
193*4*Cool Cat*L Alexis/R Ali*51*
734*5*Arsalan*L Alexis/J Boodramsing*45*
404*6*Super Bird*J O'Brien/B Boodramsing*51*
691*7*General JN*G Mendez/D Khelawan*57*
R7: 5.10 PM - NLCB SCRATCH MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP - 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 40-25 - 1,200M - $14,415
735*1*Maha Raja*L Alexis/R Jadoo*58.5*
426*2*Empress Hassan*M Lutchman/T Phillips*56*
121*3*Thunderbird*R Ramroop/D Khelawan*55*
116*4*Magical World*K Lucas/R Ali*57*
658*5*Market Leader*L Alexis/N Samaroo*56*
149*6*C'Est La Vie*J Rampersad/O Mohammed*54*
215*7*Atta Girl Silvy*C Roberts/N Abrego*55.5*
240*8*Country Sign*G Mendez/D Khelawan*56*
327*9*Davina*C Rambaran/B Boodramsing*56*
469*10*Prince Connor*C Rambaran/P Badrie*56*