AFTER playing second fiddle to Matthaus Wilford for the last two years, Jason Ramjass will be the heavy favourite to capture the most prestigious title in the National Junior Badminton Cham-pionships.

The three-day tournament will be contested today, tomorrow and next week Saturday at Central Regional Indoor Sports Arena, Chaguanas.

Ramjass has lost in the under-19 final for the last two years, but with his nemesis Wilford no longer eligible to compete in juniors, the path in now clear for the 2011 national under-17 champ.

Johann Labastide is the other seeded player, but the 16-draw also contains Will Lee and his doubles partner Adrian Nicholson, seeded first and second, respectively, in the under-17 category.

Kristi Reno-Singh, clearly the top female junior in the country, is seeded to win the under-19 title from Akeila Pascall. Also in the small field of eight is Ashisha Persad, seeded to win the under-17 title from Xadelle Mohess.

This draw also includes Rampersad twins, Tanya and Tiffany, as well as Jada Renales, winner of the under-15 title for the last two years.

In the absence of Renales, last year's runner-up Ralitsa Wong is the top under-15 seed and the 2011 national under-13 champ is followed by Ananda Ramsingh. And in the boys' equivalent draw, Nirad Ramlal is seeded to capture the title ahead of his arch-rival and Central Badminton Academy and Club teammate Aleem Ali.

Stephon Butcher, Leon Cassie and Erin Haynes, also members of last year's champion club, are the other top seeds.

The left-handed Butcher is the only seed in the under-11 age-group and the nine-year-old is also competing in the under-13 draw. Cassie, the Caribbean under-11 champ two years ago, is seeded to win this title, ahead of Michael Constantine.

Haynes is the only seed in a girls' equivalent draw of just four players.

First serve today is 9 a.m.