WITH the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup a mere six days away, trainers of the 11 horses expected to face the starter on Saturday are all buoyant about the chances of their respective charges.

Trainers and some of the owners were at the Garrison yesterday as the horses continued their preparation for the region's most prestigious horse race.

The majority of trainers did relatively light work with their horses, reserving the final let-down gallops for either Wednesday or Thursday.

Defending Gold Cup champion, Feet On Flames, had race day jockey Anderson Trotman aboard, and the seven-year-old looked in the pink of form as he breezed through his gallop.

Owner Luther Miller III said Feet On Flames was "very well and ready". He said his animal worked extremely well in his last two gallops, and should give a good account of himself.

Feet On Flames is trained by Clayton Greenidge, who also handles Birdie Point and Atul, both of which also looked impressive in their gallops yesterday.

Trainer Roger Parravicino is responsible for Inluck, one of two four-year-olds expected to go well in the race.

Parravicino, whose son Bruce did most of the exercise work on Inluck, said his horse was "training very well" and he was satisfied with his work. Race day jockey Ricky Walcott was aboard the colt yesterday and he impressed railbirds.

Duc D Fer, the other four-year-old expected to do well in the Gold Cup, had race day jockey Randy Cumberbatch aboard and he too impressed in his factions.

Trainer Liz Deane believes Duc D Fer is improving and has as good a chance as any.

Storm Hunter was partnered by race day jockey Juan Crawford, and trainer William Clarke said he was pleased with the gallop. He was quietly confident the eight-year-old would run into a place again.

Like Greenidge, Robert Peirce will be represented by three horses in the big race – Zarad, Sharp Impact and Peace Angel – all owned by Gay and Derek Smith.

Zarad and Sharp Impact were put through their paces by Sheldon Surgeon and both worked well within themselves. Peace Angel also looked "full of herself" and is another capable of going all the way. Zarad in particular has been looking a much different horse to the one that finished down the field in the Sunset Reef Stakes and the Coolmore Stakes.

Peirce is quietly confident about the chances of his three horses and believes they will all run a big race.

Lions Domain is probably the genuine outsider in the race, and trainer Jean-Marc Cozier said he was now fully recovered from the leg injury which kept him off the track since last June, and was working well. He added that Lions Domain stays very well and, with some good luck, could spring a surprise.

Edmund Defreitas, trainer of Trinidad's Miss Lover Lover, said over the telephone from Port-of-Spain yesterday that the mare was very fit and "ready to go".