by Jimmie, Star Racing Writer

Miracle Man - file

JAMAICA's top-Graded Stakes horse, MIRACLE MAN, has been handed a gift in tomorrow's feature event, a drop in class to Open Allowance for the one-mile Owen Silvera Memorial Cup.

MIRACLE MAN's drop to a lower class has nothing to do with his form or the fact that DISTINCTLY IRISH beat him in last month's Prime Minister's Stakes.

The two-time defending Horse-of-the-Year, back-to-back Superstakes winner and Confraternity Classic champion was made eligible by the calendar, having not won a Graded Stakes race, due to inactivity, since last November.

Trainer Billy Williams' local and regional older champion horse will carry 55.0 kilos, sitting level with horse, which have won a Graded Stakes race.

In what should be a farce, punters should bank MIRACLE MAN without even looking at the opposition, which includes Derby runner-up and St. Leger winner, RUM TALK, with 53.0 kilos.

MIRACLE MAN represents a free banker for all bettors hunting the Track Price Plus Pick-6 as well as Caymanas Track Limited's Super-6 and Pick-9 bets.

A pair of smart punters took Trackside's advice on Wednesday and attacked the Pick-9 while the big spenders were either licking their wounds or counting winnings following an 11-week carryover, which was cornered last Saturday.

There were two winning Pick-9 tickets, each worth $500,000 on Wednesday, one belonging to a group of pals in Caymanas Park's North Lounge.

Jackpots at $1.5m

With MIRACLE MAN being the year's safest banker, bettors hunting tomorrow's guaranteed payouts, the Pick-9 at $1 million and Super-6 at $500,000, should not hesitate to use a maiden, LEAVE ME ALONE, as a nap selection in the sixth race at 1000 metres straight.

LEAVE ME ALONE is the best of a bad lot in a cheap field and should go gate to wire for the combination of trainer Gary Griffiths and brother Niketo Griffiths, who need only steer the four-year-old gelding to the wire.

Other horses worth chancing as bankers are ALL FIRED UP in the seventh at a mile after her big win over SIR KHAN and HERECOMESFUDGIE at the distance a month ago, as well as an improved MR BUTCHER in the 11th at 1500 metres.

Top claiming trainer Robert Darby has ALL FIRED UP firing on all cylinders. Her narrow victory over SIR KHAN was franked by the in-form five-year-old gelding when he ventured up in class on Wednesday to place fourth among Overnight Allowance horses after pressing PASSA PASSA into the lane before eventual winner PITTACUS pounced off the turn.

Since moving to Gary Subratie's barn two runs ago, MR BUTCHER has looked vastly improved and ran a cracker behind SIR KUNJABIHARI two Saturdays ago at a mile, beaten by only a length.

At 1500 metres and no other holding speed in the event, MR BUTCHER looks set to go all the way.

Track Price Plus Pick-6 players should round off their bets by napping the well-forward two-year-old debutant, THE REAL STREAM, in the first event and SCHIZANDRA in the second.