Monday 12, April-2004
by Tyrone Evelyn

At the risk of being labelled insane, I am going to be brave enough to select Super Style to be the first horse to inflict a defeat on “superhorse” Kabul when the Banks Barbados Guineas runs off at the Garrison Savannah today.

Kabul, voted Champion Horse-Of-The-Year for 2003, has been unbeaten in six starts to date and he is going after his seventh successive win in today’s Guineas, the first leg of the famous Triple Crown.

Without doubt he is going to be hard to beat, and opposing him might turn out to be foolhardy or only wishful thinking.

But his odds are going to be prohibitive, as he will most likely start at odds against.

And if the reasoning behind placing a punt is to try to win a reasonable profit on one’s wager, then it might be better to look for a horse with more than an outside chance of upsetting Kabul at more attractive odds.

I believe that horse to be Super Style, the Bill Marshall-trained, DeVere Davis-owned filly which just failed to catch Kabul in the Hopeful Stakes on March 20.

From the time Kabul moved up to 1 570 metres, he has been looking more vulnerable and I expect Super Style to exploit this to the fullest today.

Kabul won his first four races, over distances of 1 000 and 1 100 metres, by a total of just over 27 lengths; but since he stepped up to 1 570 metres his winning margins have been decreasing remarkably.

He won his first 1 570 metres race by 4 1/2 lengths, his second by 1 1/2 lengths, and in the Hopeful Stakes he barely scraped home by a head from a fast-finishing Super Style.

Super Style will once again be partnered by Andy Ward today, and if Ward can keep the filly closer to the free running Kabul, she would have a better chance of winning since she has a tremendous finishing kick as shown in the Hopeful.

The other horses to consider here are Captain P.J., also from the Marshall barn; the Andrew Nunes-trained Lady Constance; and the Chally Jones-trained Flag Woman.

The Hopeful Stakes appear to be the best guide to today’s Guineas, and in that race Captain P.J. finished a close third behind Kabul and Super Style, while Lady Constance and Flag Woman were not too far behind in fourth and fifth place respectively.

Today’s other feature race is The Banks Draught Trophy for the A1 to C3 horses going 1 570 metres.

The 2003 Champion Imported, Feet On Flames, looks the one to beat here despite his topweight of 133 pounds.

He ran on really well to finish third behind Peace Angel over 1 100 metres when packing the top weight of 140 pounds last race day, and is expected to do the business over a more suitable trip today.

Peace Angel reopposes once again and must be a big danger. The Marshall-trained filly has now come into her own, having won her last four starts, three of which were over today’s distance.

NEWS FLASH

Lady Constance led the field down the backstretch while Kabul was chasing on the rail, apparently with no where to go. Read more

Today’s Selections

Race 1: Natural Racehorse – Security – Purfect Prince

Race 2: Crystalite – Octavia – Bonnie Parker

Race 3: Lubricator – Cassiope – Go For Gold – Caesar

Race 4: Beach Port – Tikashar – Ad Honores

Race 5: Flying Antique – Freshup Lady – Fearless Dancer – Midnight Dancer

Race 6: Zwick – Make’N It Happen – Fair Assessment – Indian Jewell

Race 7: Super Style – Kabul – Captain P.J. – Lady Constance

Race 8: Feet On Flames - Birdie Point – Peace Angel

Race 9: Whispering – Tamia’s Thunder – Long Bay – Brandon Prince

Compliments of the Nation News

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