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Speedy Peking Cruz primed for overnight allowance

Published:Wednesday | September 25, 2019 | 12:13 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
PEKING CRUZ
PEKING CRUZ

COURSE specialist, PEKING CRUZ, has shown signs of recovering form and should blitz rivals with speed in division one of this afternoon’s overnight allowance at five furlongs straight.

However, down-in-class RAS EMANUEL, who lines up in division two, has a less-than-ideal post position, stall three, and carries topweight 126lb, making his task tougher against lighter horses, who are better drawn on the faster stands’ side.

PEKING CRUZ made it all the way to grade one as a three-year-old, finishing second to stablemate MONEY MAGNET in the Eileen Cliggott Memorial in February after failing. However, he failed to deliver in back-to-back open allowance races on a get-out-of-jail card before going off on a four-month lay-up in April, suggesting that all was not well with the leggy speedster.

On his return in August, PEKING CRUZ raced prominently against fit horses, third up to a furlong out, finishing eighth behind GOD OF LOVE, RUN THATCHER RUN, and MY SISTER at five furlongs round, an event won in 59.3.

GOOD RUN FOR PEKING CRUZ

Back in action three Saturdays ago, this time at five and a half, PEKING CRUZ showed that he had got the cobwebs out of his system, placing third behind stablemates RUN THATCHER RUN and MR UNIVERSE, a truly run 1:05.3 race in which he was only two and a quarter lengths behind the winner.

With those runs under his girth and back at his favourite trip for the first time in more than five months, two classes lower than where he was competitive up to February, carrying 117lb from a mid-pack draw, in a nine-horse field, shouldn’t bother PEKING CRUZ, considering none of the horses to his outside are capable of outsprinting him.

RAS EMANUEL, however, despite his big run in the class above, open allowance, on August 1, has an iffy draw, post-position three, totes topweight and will have to deal with light speedsters, MY SISTER and HONEY RYDA, breaking from the faster stands’ side.

One of the most sparingly raced horses at Caymanas Park, 38 starts as a seven-year-old, RAS EMANUEL outbattled MY SISTER, by a head, at five furlongs round in an overnight allowance in March, sentencing him to open allowance, an offer he didn’t take up until five months later.

Facing a crack field in the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission Trophy, RAS EMANUEL, off a five-month lay-up, finished third behind 9-1 upsetter ZEPHYR, who beat ANOTHER VIGOROUS by a head. Even though he was eased by Omar Walker inside the last half-furlong, RAS EMANUEL had the likes of PATRIARCH and CHACE THE GREAT behind him.

Though he is giving away loads of weight, RAS EMANUEL runs well when fresh and is no slouch at five furlongs straight, chasing home the likes of ADONIS and NUCLEAR FLIGHT when they were at their best. Should Omar Walker get him to mid-track quickly, RAS EMANUEL could use his class to overpower MY SISTER, who is not a fan of five-straight races, and HONEY RYDA, certainly not the most resolute of runners.

A horse to watch, though breaking from the one hole, is SERGEANT RECKLESS, who has worked exceedingly well and comes in as light as chips with 107lb, courtesy of Raddesh Roman’s apprentice claim. Last Saturday morning, the vastly improved four-year-old filly schooled stablemate LOTTERY TICKET from the gate, the first half-mile in 45.0.