ON a breezy but very slow paced day at the race track, 2-5 favourite Persian Belle duly obliged in the day’s feature event, the Knutsford Park Cup run over 1,200 metres for three-year-olds who are non-winners of three races.

Ridden by Dane Nelson and trained by Patrick Chang, Persian Belle had to withstand the consistent challenge of Mama Blossom (Omar Walker) in the straight, but had enough ‘gas in the tank’ to win by just over one length in a final time of 1:15.0 minutes for the distance.

The two-year-old event had much attention surrounding the debut of Boy Wonder, who was said to be working very well at exercise and whose purchase price in the yearling sale was $3 million (a buy back). Boy Wonder (Omar Walker) did not disappoint, making a rather encouraging first run for trainer Harry Parsard and owner Curragh Jamaica Agency. With the youngsters running 1,200 metres for the first time this year, Boy Wonder (Traditional — Jamaica Dream) kept close to the front-runners, before making his winning win after leaving the 600-metre pole. After that it was a procession, as Boy Wonder ended winning by a widening 14 lengths. Second was Big Bad Links with Unbreakable third.