Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer



Saturday's easy winner, GENERAL CURLIN, should complete a quick double at Caymanas Park today when he steps down in class to contest the circular nine feature for the Dr David 'Jack' Radix Memorial Cup, this for $180,000 claimers.

Owned and trained by Maurice Crooks, the five-year-old gelding by Skipping out of the Irish Quest mare Rustic Native is actually on the convenient mark of 53.0kg by virtue of apprentice Arthur Budhu's 4.0g claim and given these favourable conditions, is tipped to repeat.

Significantly, the weight to be carried by GENERAL CURLIN today is only 1kg more than he carried on Saturday, when scoring by five lengths over 1700 metres on a $250,000 claiming tag.

When queried on Saturday, trainer Crooks attributed GENERAL CURLIN's well-being to "lots of loving and tender care" and with his charge having everything in his favour today, victory looks a mere formality.

easy win

Prior to Saturday's win, GENERAL CURLIN scored easily over this trip on April 9 on a $250,000 claiming tag and, back on the winning trail, should prove too good for the recent winners PROGRESSIVE, KOKOPELLI CAT and QUIET KNIGHT, as well as NAHIMA, who should relish the distance.

Being a superfecta race, the battle for the minor placings should be interesting.

However, there was a lot to like about the manner in which the Fitzroy Glispie-trained PROGRESSIVE came home when beaten 11/2 lengths by the front-running QUIET KNIGHT over 1700 metres recently, and looks the exacta horse.

Elsewhere on the nine-race programme, PLATINUM VALLEY, who has been a model of consistency, gets the nod over THE GREYT DOCTOR in the opening race over 1600 metres for $350,000-$300,000 claimers.

most accomplished

Only six starters have been declared, but PLATINUM VALLEY and THE GRETY DOCTOR are the two most accomplished in the field, with the Ryan Darby-trained PLATINUM VALLEY given the edge - in receipt of 4kg from THE GREYT DOCTOR.

In the second race (restricted allowance non-winners of three) over 1100 metres, there is rich form present among the eight starters, four of whom have won in recent weeks.

However, it will more than likely come down to a three-cornered tussle among J.R.'S DREAM (back to good form), LEGAL LADY (will have to be caught) and Courtney Walsh's stretch-running filly, TREND SETTER, who looks the pick at the weights, with only 50kg and title-chasing jockey Dick Cardenas aboard.

Trained by Anthony Nunes, the grey TREND SETTER has run some useful races in defeat, and this is a convenient time for her to win another.

I also like REGIONAL CHARMER to go one better in the third, SIR D in the fifth, PALACE GUARD in the knotty eighth, and LEMONADE in the nightpan.