Sport

Five-star Harding

TRAINER PHILIP FEANNY'S DISTINCTLY IRISH and A KING IS BORN are back for round four in tomorrow afternoon's 1500-metre Chairman's Trophy.

DISTINCTLY IRISH got the jump on A KING IS BORN, his older brother, in the Digicel Irish Stakes on Derby Day, storming home from off the pace to nab his stablemate stealing home at 1300 metres.

It was DISTINCTLY IRISH's first triumph in three meetings over A KING IS BORN, having failed to stave off the chestnut horse in last December's Gold Cup at 1400 metres and was afterwards outsped at 1100 metres in the Lotto Sprint on Governor's Cup Day mid-May.

Feanny's top-rated duo will again be pitted against Wayne DaCosta's CLOCK WORK, who returns with the 48.0 kilos he carried in the Digicel Stakes.

A talented American-bred three-year-old colt, CLOCK WORK found Stakes company a bit on the rough side in the Digicel Stakes when hunting a hat-trick of wins up in class. He was badly burnt on the lead by A KING IS BORN and lacked finishing power, fading into fifth place, although he was still second a furlong out.

DISTINCTLY IRISH was outsped into the lane but closed best of the rest with 51.0 kilos to catch A KING IS BORN, who led in suicide splits of 21.4, 44.4 and 1:10.3 with 59.0 kilos before the effort took its toll on both his legs and stamina close home.

Going a furlong longer, DISTINCTLY IRISH is expected to start favourite with Henry astride. However, he returns three kilos heavier plus Winston Griffiths' riding tactics aboard A KING IS BORN should differ greatly from the mad rush in the Digicel.

Drawn down along the rail, Griffiths should be able to comfortably rate A KING IS BORN on the bridle, from just off the lead to mid-pack, as Charles Hussey did in last year's Gold Cup, before unleashing his mount in the stretch run.

Jackpots at $1.63m

A pair of 5-1 shots, HIGH GRADE in the second race and SHADE OF JADE in the nightpan, took out Pick-9 bettors on Wednesday. The tough exotic bet, with its $1m guaranteed payout, starts at tomorrow's second race, which could provide Trinidadian jockey Brian Harding with the first of five winners on the 10-race card.

Harding, who booted home a hat-trick of winners Wednesday, is down to partner MYSON in the second, QUEEN TAMARA in the fourth, MARVELOUS MINISTER in the fifth, ESTOY LISTO in the sixth plus speedy EPICTATUS, treated with lasix for the first time in the seventh.

Track Price Plus Pick-6 players can bank on EXPLOSIVE PEAK to land the third event at 1500 metres. The American-bred has looked vastly improved at exercise, galloping seven furlongs in 1:27.3 last Sunday morning.