Rocamadour can add the feature Queen’s Plate Handicap for three-year-old and older horses rated 0-120, to his already impressive record when action continues at the Garrison today from 1:45 p.m.The Melrose and Clifton Racing-owned four-year-old colt has proven his class in top rated company, with two victories and two seconds from four outings.Wins in the Caribbean Money Market Brokers Signature Service Trophy Handicap going 2 000 metres (two-and-a-quarter lengths) and later in the Val Gale Cup over 1 800 metres, are testimony that he is an improving sort, and much more can be expected. An increase of five pounds for today’s race should not reduce the colt’s chances, as he seeks another trip to the winners’ enclosure.The Sir David Seale-owned Preach To Me has recorded two smart victories recently and looks like one to follow. First he took the Lost In The Fog Trophy, and then the Hallway Feeds Race 13 Trophy, both over this minimum trip of 1 100 metres. He did not have a clean trip when last attempting today’s distance, and should be given another chance.Boston John-trained Bipin takes a step up in class, but this lightly raced four-year-old is expected to be in the thick of things, having placed third in this year’s Sandy Lane Spa Sprint, before returning for a workmanlike victory in the Caribbean Money Market Brokers Equity Investing Trophy Handicap for horses rated 83-105. Show Me The Money, trained by former top jockey Andy Ward, has been extremely consistent, with three wins and three second-place finishes from seven starts this year.Victories came in the Patrick Husbands BSS Handicap, the Directors Handicap, both at today’s trip, and the Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Garrison Turf Trophy, over 2 000 metres. Expect him to be in the shake-up at the finish.Aysha Syndicate’s improving colt Charge It has been running well, and with three victories from eight starts this year should benefit from the experience.Gay Smith-owned Zoom has only a second-place finish to show for his six outings this year, and the fact that he took a fall last start, plus the stable’s poor form, does not inspire confidence.Walk On By won the Tanglewood Stakes and Trophy over 2 000 metres but has shown little else. The Saffie Joseph Jnr stable is also one of those not setting the track ablaze.Pure Temptation, winner of the 2008 Sandy Lane Gold Cup, has only managed one third and one fourth-place finish from his five starts, but with the light impost of 114 pounds is a contender, while the Liz Deane-trained Proud Bajan appears to be undertaking too big a task.Local favourite Apostle is undoubtedly a class act, but after winning the hearts of Barbadian racing fans in this year’s running of the Sandy Lane Gold Cup, third-place finish) he has failed to impress in his two starts since. It should be noted that the ground on both occasions was soft, and he clearly does not relish such conditions.My Picks Race 1: VerizonRace 2: Atomic BombRace 3: DressesRace 4: Just JivingRace 5: Rush CutterRace 6: Sweet and SourRace 7: RocamadourRace 8: Moonstone
