On Saturday, the Modified Benchmark Handicap for three-year-olds and over horses rated 90-70 can be seen as the re-run of the 2022 Gold Cup. Champion trainer John O’Brien has five horses slated to race in the 1,750 metres event which has attracted ten runners. He sends out the Gold Cup winner Crown Prince, which outbattled Just Exhale in the last edition of the race, to win by a neck. However, O’Brien has put up winning rider Kimal Santo once again and he will again be expected to oblige for the owner, the Raroma Stables.
The second-place finisher Just Exhale has been very consistent since that race and finished second to Soca Harmony in his last start on day one of the Arima Race Club (ARC) racing season on January 28. Trainer Terrance Thomas thinks highly of Just Exhale and expects his improving horse to continue getting better. He is well-weighted at 46.5 kilos and will have the assistance of Ridge Balgobin.
Soca Harmony won the Midsummer Classic and Derby easily last season and looked likely to win the Gold Cup but disappointed and finished a well-beaten third. On Saturday, she will attempt to do better with champion jockey Brian Boodramsing back in the saddle. She made the 1-2 favourite for her start on the first day of racing for the year and what a performance she displayed. Travelling well, she eased to the front going to the 500m marker and easily pulled clear of her rivals. Just Exhale will now receive four kilos from Soca Harmony.
Wise Guy has not won a race since before COVID-19 struck. However, in 2020, he won the Triple Crown with apprentice Kimal Santo astride. This O’Brien-trained runner has done little to encourage punters to put on their hard-earned money. In the past two months, he has begun to show signs of renewal and he could give Dillon Khelawan a good run. But, he carries top-weight in the event with 57 kilos.
O’Brien’s next runner in this event is Stroke of Luck which won the Derby in 2021. He has shown that he is a very good horse and though he does not get the races to suit him he is expected to run a big race on Saturday. Omar Mohammed will be aboard Stroke of Luck and he has been galloping well lately, so a big run is expected.
The final entrant from the champion trainer’s quintet is Soca Symphony, which will be ridden by Nela Mohammed. This is a very good horse, who has been sprinting. He has speed and must not be allowed an uncontested lead. However, her impost of 52.5 kilos gives her a sneak, if the race is run to suit.
Desert Dancer, Pawan Putra, News Flash and Leonardo Angel all have outside chances to get on the board, however, it will take some doing for any of the quartet to win this race.
From the look of this event, it could be a close call between the Gold Cup Winner, Crown Prince, runner-up, Just Exhale and Soca Harmony, whose Gold Cup run, is best forgotten. One thing is certain, O’Brien will win this event.
R6: 4.25 PM - MODIFIED BENCHMARK HANDICAP 3 YO AND OVER HORSES RATED 90-70 - 1750M - $17,710
087*1*Desert Dancer*C Rambaran/K Razack*47*Outsider (33/1)
626*2*Pawan Putra*M Lutchman/R Jadoo*50*Place chance(25-1)
151*3*Crown Prince*J O’Brien/K Santo*51*Can Take this (6/5)
209*4*News Flash*K Lucas/A Poon*53*Not Today (66/1)
322*5*Just Exhale*T Thomas/R Balgobin*46.5*Big Shout (4-1)
431*6*Soca Harmony*J O’Brien/B Boodramsing*48.5*Can win (1-1)
456*7*Stroke Of Luck*J O’Brien/O Mohammed*56.5*Can surprise (16/1)
066*8*Leonardo Angel*T Thomas/D Rodrigo*45.5*Outsider (40/1)
685*9*Wise Guy*J O’Brien/D Khelawan*57*Can surprise (12/1)
685*10*Soca Symphony*J O’Brien/N Mohammed*52.5*Needs Shorter (66/1)
