Leading three-year-old Arsalan will be seen in action on Saturday when he lines up in the co-feature Modified Benchmark Handicap for three-year-olds and over horses for horses rated 60-45 over 1,750 metres event, on the main track at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.
The Lester Alexis trained thoroughbred will be taking on the older horses for the first time in his career. I expect that with his weight of 49 kilos, he should be able to continue his winning ways in the hands of former champion jockey and 'Hall of Famer', Ricky Jadoo.
Arsalan, the three-year-old son by Da Vinci/Fallen Angel has created a very good impression at the centralised facility on both his starts this year, when winning the Royal Colours Classic, over 1350m on the main track and a month ago, the Grade Three - Chief Commander Classic over 1,600m on the turf course. Based on the form book, Arsalan looks difficult to beat.
Looking at the rivals of Arsalan the Harriram Gobin trained Fast N' Furious which will have to defy top-weight to get the better of the leading three-year-old. However, the effort to hand out 9.5 kilos to Arsalan is a very big task.
Wang Chung was just below Classic standard last season when trained by John O'Brien but new conditioner Shaffick Khan usually improves his horses and with 53.5 kilos and champion jockey Brian Boodramsing in the saddle could give Arsalan a run for his money. Stablemate Sunset Cloud could offer resistance to let his younger rival but the class of Arsalan could see him home.
Harold Chadee attacks this event with only one entrant in American Traveller which won well last time out. American Traveller will run another big race but he is not a stayer and my selection should have too much toe for them at the business end.
Another from the Lester Alexis quartet of runners is Smooth Sailing which has shown good form last season and has run well for the current year. With apprentice Omar Mohammed in the saddle could run another brave race .
The Nigel Amin owned three-year-old Arsalan who is unbeaten for the season and I fancy him to continue his winning ways and land a hattrick of victories before embarking on his Triple Crown journey.
Post time is 1.10 pm.
ARC DAY 8 CARD
R1: 1.10PM – MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 25-0 - 1,500M (TURF) - $12,650
49D*1*Fulfill*C Roberts/N Samaroo*57*Outsider
607*2*Breakthrough*R Ramroop/N Flavenney*52*Can surprise
963*3*Gold For John*R Lalla-Mahar/A Poon*52*Chance
052*4*Con Te Partiro*F DeFreitas/R Jadoo*52*Can take this
687*5*Trusty Rose*J Rampersad/LC Seecharan*50.5*In and out
090*6*Atta Girl Silvy*G Mohammed/J Boodramsing*57.5*Can surprise
714*7*Redhotfillypepper*L Alexis/O Mohammed*58.5*Will go close
682*8*Infortheglory*B Nurse/S Balroop*58.5*Big shout
365*9*El Chapo*R Ramroop/K Santo*55.5*Respected
366*10*She WBO On Time*J Rampersad/D Butcher*57*Place chance
R2: 1.50PM – WI BRED 3 YO & OVER MAIDENS HANDICAP – 1,200M - $12,650
-76*1*LilToribelle*H Gobin/LC Seecharan*48*Improving
---*2*Supremacy*H Gobin/R Balgobin*57*Can go close
--4*3*Tequila Sonrise*G Mendez/D Khelawan*51*Will be around
452*4*Stroke Of Luck*J O'Brien/K Santo*51*Ready
---*5*Finishing Touch*J O'Brien/N Mohammed*51*Expected
350*6*Zanza*H Chadee/K Khelawan*46*Disappointing last
-03*7*Prince Connor*J O'Brien/B Boodramsing*51*Big shout
---*8*My Pleasure*G Mendez/R Jadoo*48*Highly regarded
---*9*Thunderbird*D Ojar/A Poon*57*Debut
-04*10*Just Exhale*T Thomas/S Balroop*51*Will be around
R3: 2.20PM - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 90-70 - 1,750M - $16,100
243*1*Wise Guy*J O'Brien/B Boodramsing*50*Will go close
697*2*Regal Intension*H Chadee/K Khelawan*53*Lost form
542*3*Affirmative*H Gobin/D Khelawan*55*Will take catching
756*4*Commanding Fashion*H Gobin/N Samaroo*57*Needs to improve
561*5*Desert Dancer*G Mohammed/R Jadoo*52.5*Can surprise
R4: 3.05PM - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 30-0 - 1,100M (TURF) - $12,650
005*1*Schwarzenegger*R Ramroop/N Mohammed*49.5*Improving
700*2*Cats Can*JW-Samaroo/R oHernandez*57*Will go close
887*3*Reprisal*S Khan/K Santo*54.5*Expected
835*4*Unsettled Heart*G Mohammed/J Boodramsing*55*Can surprise
806*5*Price Alert*G Mendez/S Balroop*58.5*Respected
504*6*Lady Hamilton*M Lutchman/P Badrie*54.5*Speedy
010*7*No More Regrets*K Sahadeo/K Chandler*56.5*In and out
831*8*Pure Pleasure*M Lutchman/K Balgobin*55.5*Repeat
240*9*Game Changer*J O'Brien/B Boodramsing*51.5*Can take this
--8*10*Alani*R Ramroop/R iHernandez*51.5*Must improve
701*11*Fortune Teller*H Chadee/K Khelawan*56.5*Can win again
072*12*Comandante*M Lutchman/N Samaroo*55.5*Big shout
R5: 3.45PM - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 70-55 - 1,100M (TURF) - $16,100
593*1*Sea Of Gdansk*T Thomas/A Poon*52*Outside shot
825*2*Nuclear Fire*H Chadee/R Jadoo*50*Can take this
682*3*Leonardo Angel*M Lutchman/N Mohammed*56.5*Big shout
331*4*Khaleesi*C Roberts/K Balgobin*54.5*Will go close
779*5*Mafia Man*H Chadee/K Khelawan*53*Chance
371*6*Rio Ponti*H Gobin/P Badrie*58*Repeat
821*7*Signal Note*G Mendez/D Khelawan*59*Can go close
818*8*Maha Raja*J O'Brien/K Santo*51.5*In tough
144*9*Cool Cat*J O'Brien/B Boodramsing*55*Running on
R6: 4.25PM - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 60-45 - 1,750M - $16,100
319*1*Wang Chung*S Khan/B Boodramsing*53.5*Can surprise
511*2*Arsalan*L Alexis/R Jadoo*49*The winner
130*3*Atalanta*C Roberts/K Razack*51.5*Outside shot
224*4*Star Of Wonder*K Lucas/P Badrie*54.5*Place chance
441*5*American Traveller*H Chadee/K Khelawan*55*Needs shorter
310*6*Fast'N'Furious*H Gobin/D Khelawan*58.5*Finishing
529*7*Smooth Sailing*L Alexis/O Mohammed*50.5*Running on
400*8*Mano*L Alexis/L C Seecharan*48*No form
583*9*Sunset Cloud*L Alexis/N Samaroo*58*Will be around
R7: 5.10PM - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 45-30 - 1,350M - $12,650
688*1*Pontius Pilate*Dr J Suratsing/N Mohammed*56.5*Outsider
609*2*Prince George*R Lalla-Mahar/A Poon*55.5*Lost way
446*3*Twitter King*G Mendez/D Khelawan*57*Must improve
310*4*Royal Ballet*H Gobin/P Badrie*56.5*Respected
896*5*Single Bullet*K Lucas/N Samaroo*55.5*Lost way
667*6*Peace N Glory*G Mohammed/J Boodramsing*56.5*Chance
891*7*Lady Bird*H Chadee/K Khelawan*56.5*Need shorter
643*8*Princess Steffani*J O'Brien/K Santo*56.5*Can go close
212*9*Road Rage*H Gobin/L C Seecharan*55*In good form
633*10*Dancing Sun*K Sahadeo/R Jadoo*55.5*Running on
341*11*Perfect Saint*H Singh/R oHernandez*53.5*In tough
725*12*Sentable*L Alexis/S Balroop*58.5*Respected
728*13*Pawan Putra*M Lutchman/K Balgobin*57.5*In and out
890*14*Nabawi*M Lutchman/D Butcher*56.5*No form
842*15*Pure Strike*K Lucas/R Balgobin*57.5*Can surprise
776*16*Zhiliang*H Gobin/D Khelawan*57*Running on
-11*17*Soca Symphony*J O'Brien/B Boodramsing*51.5*One to beat
