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It's the Great Manipulator

Published:Thursday | August 16, 2018 | 12:00 AMElton Tucker/Assistant Editor - Sports
Dick Cardenas
Spencer Chung trains SEA SWAN.
CRUCIAL APPEAL (Anthony Thomas, second left) powers to victory in the fifth race on Wednesday's midweek card.
SIMPLY OUTRAGEOUS (Oneil Scott) wins the seventh race at Caymanas Park on Wednesday.
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SEA SWAN, a three-year-old daughter of 2012 horse of the year Saint Cecelia, is making her debut a bit late, but has shown enough at exercise to suggest that she will be too good for her moderate rivals in the opening race of the Super-6 at Caymanas Park tomorrow.

The chestnut filly breezed five furlongs straight out of the gates in 46.2x1.00.3 on Monday, seven days after a 46.3x1022 workout and appears to have a lot of potential. Her dam Saint Cecelia is one of the most talented horses to ever race at Caymanas Park and had a stellar racing career at the top level after winning the 1000 Guineas and Jamaica Oaks in 2009.

Race Two provides punters with another banker. ANOTHER VIGOROUS, one of the fastest three-year-olds seen this season, has lost some of his early season zip but at 52kg should still be too fast for fillies NUCLEAR FLIGHT and MY SISTER in the 1000 metres contest. On June 30, ANOTHER VIGOROUS led the progressive American Hilly's Halo for 800 metres of a 1200-metre race before weakening. The race was won in a fast 1:10.4 and the Rowan Mathie-trained gelding clocked a respectable 1:13.1. He will have very much an uncontested lead tomorrow and should just about have enough to hold off a fast-finishing NUCLEAR FLIGHT.

 

DROP IN CLASS

 

SONG ON TRACK ran very well in open $180,000 claiming on August 4 and the third race represents a drop in class. She was beaten by BEAST over the 400-metre distance on July 7, but came back to win going 1000 metres straight on July 28 and is definitely the fittest in the field. The six-year-old mare also gets a good draw on the stands' side and is tipped to lead all the way.

Trainer Uton Stewart sent GREAT MANIPULATOR on a training run on August 11 and with his well-being fully exposed the four-year-old colt will be hard to beat in tomorrow's fourth. Going over an unaccustomed 1700 metres, GREAT MANIPULATOR led for 900 metres before giving up the gallop.

He finished 39 lengths behind the winner Senor Kwanzi but Dick Cardenas is back for the ride. That's a very strong hint and so punters can expect a big run in this 1100-metre race.

The very fast TOP EAGLE gets leading rider Anthony Thomas in the fifth, another 1100 metres race, and he should make it a post-to-post affair with just 50kg on his back. Then take SACRIFICE to release his maiden tag in the sixth over 1300 metres.

 

SUPER-6 SELECTIONS

 

1. SEA SWAN

2. ANOTHER VIGOROUS

3. SONG ON TRACK

4. GRAT MANIPULATOR

5. TOP EAGLE

6. SACRIFICE