With the ballot for jockeys and the barrier draw finalized for this Saturdays Kam Pek Paradise International Mixed Doubles Championships, the unique challenge series is shaping up to be a wide open event.

With a fine sunny weekend forecast and the turf track in excellent condition, the barrier draw has now thrown the challenge wide open.

In the first leg The Kam Pek Paradise Plate over 1500 metres, Team Blue looms as tough to beat with one of the top fancies Obrigado Mais the designated mount for Andrew Calder.  Calder links up with the USA’s Jacqueline Davis who has drawn last year’s Derby winner Turquoise Power.

Obrigado Mais is coming off an eye catching third to Hostwin Galaxy last start, when he was held up over the last two hundred metres before running home strongly. That said the Kim Cheong trained galloper didn’t fare that well in the draw and is an awkward spot in gate nine.

Turquoise Power has been out of favor for awhile but his most recent run behind stablemate Huka Eagle was encouraging, and he will get a nice run for Jacqueline Davis from gate six.

The main opposition for Team Blue appears to be Australia’s Katelyn Mallyon and Korea’s Moon Se Young who will ride out for Team Four in the Black and White checked caps.

Mallyon rides Éclair Journey who is perfectly drawn in gate two. The grey gelding ran on very well last start for second in the same race as Obrigado Mais behind Hostwin Galaxy.

Chromium Alloy is the mount for Moon Se Young and also comes out of the Hostwin Galaxy race with a solid fourth, running home powerfully from the back.

Japanese racing legend Yutaka Take teams up with Brazil’s Jeane Alves for Team Orange and is not without a chance in the race with River Treasure.  A totally honest galloper River Treasure is another that caught the eye behind Hostwin Galaxy last start. Jeane Alves rides the speed horse in the race Wonder Holy, but will have to work early from barrier twelve.

The smokey in the race could be Team Purple’s Emily Finnegan (Ireland) who rides The Moon Is Back for trainer Geoff Allendorf. Finnegan teams with local champ Luis Corrales who rides Hostwin Almighty who might find the opposition a bit tough here.

Luis Corrales and Emily Finnegan look hard to toss in the second leg the Kam Pek Paradise Bowl over 1200 metres, with Team Purple drawing the top two runners in Huka Eagle and Brave Panda.

Huka Eagle (Emily Finnegan) has brilliant speed and will cross from gate six to take up the running. The Geoff Allendorf trained gelding is coming off a dominant last start win over 1500 metres. Whilst Brave Panda (Luis Corrales) from the Tony Fung yard is a specialist at the trip, with five of his six wins over the distance.

Main dangers for Team Purple could be the combination of Yutaka Take and Jeane Alves who both have drawn nice rides in Mission Gdragon and Tuhao Power.

Mission Gdragon will have to work a little from gate twelve, however is blessed with both good speed and the services of Yutaka Take. Tuhao Power has drawn the inside marble for Jeane Alves and the speed will suit his powerful finishing burst.

Two horses that have drawn perfectly and are both capable are Innoalloy and Ashkari for Team Yellows Nanako Fujita (Japan) and Olivier Doleuze (Hong Kong).

Innoalloy to be ridden by Nanako Fujita has drawn barrier three and Ashkari (Olivier Doleuze) is right alongside in gate two. Both can race handy and will get the run of the race.

In the final leg of the Challenge the Kam Pek Paradise Cup over 1500 metres, the Orange Team emerges strong with Yutaka Take drawing Oh So Easy and Jeane Alves riding Mister Kaopu.

Oh So Easy was a winner over the distance three runs back. His hard front running style is reminiscent of the tough Japanese horses, so Yutake Take should feel right at home. He will lead them at a good clip from gate three with Mister Kaopu slipping across for Jeane Alves to park on his tail in the run.

Hostwin Galaxy is to be ridden by Singapore champ Manoel Nunes from the Red Team and is without doubt the hardest to beat. The Redoute’s Choice gelding has won two from two in Macau, and was an easy winner in the lower grade over this distance at his latest run. However he has gone up eight points and has barrier eleven to contend with.

Both Teams Blue (Jacqueline Davis and Andrew Calder) and Purple (Emily Finnegan and Luis Corrales) have good chances of picking up some minor points here with their mounts.

Jacqueline Davis rides More Than Happy and Andrew Calder teams up with the old timer Lucky And Wealthy who are both capable at the trip.

Emily Finnegan rides Peace Get Fortune who will get the run of the race from gate one, whilst Luis Corrales rides King Creole will be powering home late in a truly run race.

It all makes for an action packed afternoon of racing that will be streamed live worldwide from the MJC website at www.mjc.mo , as well as our regular television outlets in Asia