CHARLIE CHAPLIN (outside), ridden by Paul 'Country' Francis, gets up in the nick of time to best the 4-5 favourite ESCAPE THE FATE (Shane Ellis) by a short head in the fourth race over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park on Saturday. Trained by Noel Ennevor, CHARLIE CHAPLIN won at odds of 5-2.
The two-day Easter Racing Carnival continues at Caymamas Park today with the 3-y-o and up overnight allowance race over 1100 metres for the Easter Sprint Cup taking the spotlight.
Twelve starters have been declared for the Easter Sprint, including COM-MANDER ZERO, who by virtue of his recent fast-time win, looks all set to repeat.
From the stables of champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, COMMANDER ZERO reported from a nine-month absence on March 14 and proceeded to squander the opposition over this trip, scoring by 5-1/2 lengths in the smart time of 1:06.0 under champion jockey Omar Walker.
Walker again has the ride and with COMMANDER 'HERO' coming back even sharper, the four-year-old gelding by He'stherealthing out of Arantxa looks hard to oppose, even though stepping up to overnight company for the first time.
Classic contender
A leading classic contender last season, COMMANDER ZERO beat all barring ROYAL IMAGE in their much-hyped 2000 Guineas clash a year ago. As a result of that performance, he was installed a 3-5 favourite for the mile and quarter Lotto Classic for the Governor's Cup six weeks later, but failed to stay the distance and was beaten into third place by the filly IT IS I.
COMMANDER ZERO ran no race at all in the Derby last June but by then, it was clear that all was not right with him. He reportedly sustained an injury and was sidelined for nine months.
Having looked his old self recently, COMMANDER ZERO should use today's race as a stepping stone to better things. He is definitely a class act and having worked exceptionally well in preparation for this race, should use his speed to best advantage from the number one post position. I expect him to win convincingly from the handy mark of 52.0kg.
COMMANDER ZERO has most to fear from the American four-year-old colt SHANGHAI PASS, who failed in his bid for the hat-trick on April 4 when beaten by the front-running AGUILA over 1500 metres.
Trained by Gary Subratie, the son of Three Wonders is perfectly at home in this sprint and with bustling Dane Nelson now taking the ride, should ensure that COMMANDER ZERO works for the money.
Elsewhere on the programme, eight mostly fit horses are down to contest the day's secondary feature for the Mortimer 'Morty' Heron Memorial Cup over 1820 metres (claiming $270,000-$240,000), the field including the recent winners MISS ROSE, DUST ROCK and RISTO-CAT.
While DUST ROCK steps up in class seeking the hat-trick with champion jockey Omar Walker again in the saddle, MISS ROSE, having bounced back to winning form over 1600 metres recently, is nicely in with 52.0kg and ought to be followed with Nelson now taking the ride.
I also like STEEL DE CAT to rebound in the first race, RACING MACHINE in the third, BURNING CIELO over SERGEANT STONEHAN in the sixth, PRINCE RIDELL in the 11th and the highly thought of classic aspirant, MAN A YARD, in the eighth.