With a very competitive seven-race programme set for Thursday, Republic Day at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, the old rivalry will hold centre stage once again.
There are two feature races, the First Citizens Guineas over 1,800 metres, which is the first leg of the local Triple Crown and President Cup over 1,900 metres on the main track.
The Guineas will showcase the best three-year-old horses in the country and racing fans will see the locally bred, Poon Tip Stud Farm owned Bella Riva putting her unbeaten record on the line. The daughter of St. Vigueur, which is trained by champion trainer John O'Brien, has won all six of her races in her career so far, and has won three times for this year in her build-up to the Triple Crown Races.
Her main competition will come from the Jamaican-bred runners from the Harold Chadee barn of Airforce One and Spring Valley.
However, she will receive strong competition from her stablemate, the improving Wise Guy. The President's Cup over 1,900 metres, which has a field eight of the top thoroughbreds in training will have the attention of turfites and punters alike. Anyone of runners can take the top prize for their connections.
However, the top contenders, as far as punters are concerned, Juice Man, who is a winner of six of his career starts, including the 2019 Derby, the consistent General JN who won this event last year and has filled the runner up spot four times in five starts so far this year and Apocalypse who became the first horse to defeat Juice Man in the country and the winner of two races in the top class for the season and a winner of the 2020 for the Independence Cup, will all be vying for the President's Cup.
Punters will be placing their money on the lightly weighted pair of Making Headlines and Affirmative which will be receiving weight from their rivals and could upset the apple-cart.
Post time for the first race over 1,100 metres for Native Bred three-year-olds is 12:35 pm. There are two turf races on the card and Hi - 5 bettings will be accepted in races 4 and 7. There will also be simulcast racing from popular North American tracks.