Pinelope a safe banker

Both the Pick-9 and Super-6s start anew at Caymanas Park tomorrow, this after the fancied horses held their own for the most part last Saturday.

The well-supported 11-race programme commences at 12:05 p.m. with a two-year-old maiden special over 800 metres straight to be contested by eight starters, six of whom will be racing for the first time.

Indications are that victory will go to one of the newcomers and the three that matter are the stable-companions TRUE WHISPER, to be ridden by leading jockey Omar Walker for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, and MR UNIVERSE, with apprentice Jerome Innis riding for DaCosta, as well as the Anthony Nunes-trained SOTOMAYOR, under champion jockey Shane Ellis.

All three have looked forward at exercise, especially TRUE WHISPER, a bay filly by He'stherealthing out of Just Whisper, who has looked fluent in her workouts, galloping three furlongs in a brisk 35.3 (bullet work), while MR UNIVERSE, a chestnut colt by Region Of Merit out of Raging Fury, who looked up to the task last Saturday morning, galloping four furlongs out of the straight in 49.1.

EXPECTEDTOWIN

With stable jockey Walker electing to ride TRUE WHISPER, she should win from MR UNIVERSE, SOTOMAYOR (a grey colt Traditional - Runaway Julie) and the Gary Subratie-trained SIMPLICLASSICAL, who finished a fair third to EL GATO on her recent debut.

The second race for the Terremoto Trophy over the round-five course is also confined to native bred two-year-olds (non-winners of two), and this will definitely come down to a straight fight between the unbeaten fillies VERY CLASSIC, with Ellis riding for 'Baba' Nunes and MONEY MAGNET, with apprentice Bebeto Harvey riding her again for trainer Richard Azan.

Both have been moving impressively at exercise, the grey VERY CLASSIC clocking a fast 59.4 on the round course last Sunday morning and MONEY MAGNET coming 1:00.2 a day later, beating stable-companion TARANIS. It looks like a toss-up, but MONEY MAGNET was the more impressive of the two when winning over 1100 metres on August 20 and is given the edge.

The Nunes-trained PIANO MAN, who finished 21/4 lengths second to WAR TRAIN over 1820 metres on July 30, has less to do in the third race over 2000 metres for maiden three-year-olds, and with champion apprentice Linton Steadman back in the saddle, should go one better with the visor and tongue tie removed for this race. ACAPULCO (Robert Halledeen) looks the principal danger in a field of 10.

The day's five-star banker comes in the form of the Nunes-trained three-year-old colt MEGATRON, now thrown in for a $250,000 claiming tag in the fourth race over 1500 metres with Ellis aboard. MEGATRON finished close seconds to WONDER GIRL and VISION in his last two races, and with the trip ideal, should lead home PLAY STATION in a field of 10.

The last two races in the first Super-6 should be won by the exciting three-year-old filly PINELOPE, a fast-time runaway winner over a mile recently, and the recently disqualified course winner NEVER GIVE UP in the sixth, the CTL Exercise Riders' Race over 800 metres (straight) to be contested by the maximum 16 starters (conditional $180,000 claimers). Their respective dangers are the St Leger runner-up WILL IN CHARGE and ALISONBEE.

FIRST SUPER-6 FANCIES

(1) TRUE WHISPER/MR. UNIVERSE

(2) MONEY MAGNET/VERY CLASSIC

(3) PIANO MAN/ACAPULCO

(4) MEGATRON

(5) PINELOPE

(6) NEVER GIVE UP/ALISONBEE