‘Tis the season to be jolly at the Barbados Turf Club’s fourth day of the third season.
The Christmas Season Race Day runs off tomorrow at the Garrison Savannah from 1 p.m. with an eight-race card which promises an exciting afternoon.
The Christmas Handicap is for three-year-old and older horses rated 60-80 and also opened to horses rated 59 and below over 1 800 metres.
The Mark Goodridge Desert Man which is still a maiden, will have a tough assignment with the top weight of 130 pounds.
The three-year-olds could have the final say.
Roars scored a hard fought victory last race day in the Oba Dove Handicap for non-winners of two races at this distance and is a worthy bet as he is handicapped to take 113 pounds.
Summer Time paid the price for stalking a suicidal pace last effort in the Breeders Classic against a field which included Apostle and Show Me The Money. She now resorts to a more acceptable level where she can excel once again.
Local Speed, pencilled in to carry 126 pounds, has been in the form of his life and will be one of the main contenders. He is seeking his third win in four starts.
Grace Chapel and Uncle Jerry have performed very well in their last two outings and should factor in the final equation.
The Jingle Bells Handicap over 1 570 metres should be a real brain teaser.
Double winner Round Table Stub Farm-owned Fernandina tackles three winners of their last starts: Majestical (130 pounds), Mrs. B (127 pounds) and Late Bid (123 pounds).
Fernandina (123 pounds) continues to climb the ratings ladder and her connections really cannot ask for more from the daughter of Forty Mile out of Bandana Day.
Majestical scored a workmanlike victory in the Zoom Trophy Handicap for horses rated 50-70. She should once again have a say in the final outcome.
Mrs. B, the winner of the Kabul Handicap is down to carry 127 pounds, 16 more than she carried in that victory but should still be involved.
Late Bid (123 pounds) is fresh off a win in the Divine Messenger Condition Race for two and three-year-old maidens. This group could prove much stiffer an assignment.
Steppin Razor (126) and Just Jiving (126) are also in it to win it.
The opening event, the Happy Holiday Handicap over 1 800 metres, will set the tone for the afternoon’s card.
In this race for three-year-old and older horses rated 35-55 and also opened to horses rated 34, almost all of the starters seem to have a winning shot as there is no real standout here on form.
Atomic Bomb can make full use of his assigned weight of 112 pounds while Right Move (117 pounds) should improve on his fourth place finish in the Don Juan Handicap for non-winners of two races over 1 800 metres.
