SPECIAL TO CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED:
By Kent Layne
Infrared looking to close out the year with grade 1 win
2019 Coolmore Home of champions and John B Simpson feature winner Infrared looks he will be the one to beat and closeout 2019 with a win in the Diamonds International Crown of Light Boxing day Stakes and Trophy grade 1 on Thursday, December 26th after dominating the top rated horses this year.
(Editor – Ontario jockey KEVEH NICHOLLS and Mark Casse rider JASON HOYTE have mounts on the afternoon of racing.)
Thursday’s boxing day race is worth $30 000 going 1570 meters as the Richard Deane trained Infrared is going after his 2nd grade 1 win this year after defeating arch-rival and leading Imported of last year this year’s gold cup winner Celestial Storm On January 21st 2019 in the Coolmore home of champions grade 1 going the longer trip of 1800 meters.
Post time for the Diamonds International crown of light stakes and trophy will be 4:35 pm and is race 9 on the 10 race card.
The USA bred Son of Discreetly Mine registered his first win going 1570 in over a year having been unplaced in his last 3 outings going the trip with a win in the John B Simpson feature Handicap on December 7th defeating Celestial Storm again into 2nd place.
Infrared has won 4 out of 7 races this year and will take 128 pounds with Anderson Trotman in the irons.
A very big crowd will be turning out to races on boxing day which one of the most important days on the the local Calendar to see if this year’s Gold Cup winner Celestial Storm who is the only female in the field can turn the tables on her arch-rival who she has never won against going 1570 meters.
The 5-year-old mare and leading imported money earner of 2018 and this year has only won over the top-rated horses once going a trip longer than 5 and half furlongs that victory being the Gold cup she has placed 2nd in the Diamonds last year, Plus the Coolmore, Tommy Peirce and John B Simpson This year the Roger Parravicino trained fast closing mare had surprising tactics in her last start tracking Infrared from early but could run past the chestnut who has beaten the top class the most times this year.
Celestial Storm who had won the Grade 1 Sandy Lane Spa sprint last year and went on to capture the Sandy Lane Gold cup grade 1 this year has never defeated the top class going 1570 and has not won since the Gold Cup as she will be going after a 3rd grade 1 as her rival infrared will be trying to defeat her.
Celestial Storm will be ridden by Rasheed Hughes 123 pounds.
Defending champion 4-year-old creole horse number 1 Gandalf has not won since boxing day last year but has not been out of the money going 1570 against the top-rated horses.
Placing 2nd to track record holder for the distance Night Prowler on March 30th and 3rd in the John B Simpson which he was also defending champion but ended up 3rd this year will be a main force come boxing day.
The Bills inc owned gelding has drawn gate one in his last three victories which was the Sale Graduate’s Vase , The John B Simpson and the Diamonds International crown of light stakes and trophy 2018.
Gandalf who has never lost from the number 1 starting gate will have his 2018 winning Derby Jockey Jalon Samuel aboard for the first time since the Derby with 128 pounds.
The Liz Deane trained Night Prowler had a 4th place finish in the John B Simpson in his last start had broken the track record on March 30th then to be unplaced on Derby Day in the T A, Tommy Peirce going the same trip in a race Celestial Storm had finished 2nd.
Night Prowler has never won a race with Infrared has ran in but had defeated Gandalf and Celestial Storm in his track record win and lone win in Barbados and has Infrared in his sights this time around.
Night Prowler Will be ridden by Rickey Walcott for the first time.
My selection Infrared, Celestial Storm, Gandalf, Night Prowler.
Joshua who had finished 3rd in the 2016 running rounds off the small but exciting field as all 5 horses have placed in the top 4 in their last starts.
Post time for the first race will be 12:15 pm.(Barbados – 11:15 EST)
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