Bilingual strikes after two no-show defeats
Bilingual, a versatile and consistent sort, came off two no-show defeats to register one of two big and useful wins for trainer Anthony Nunes on Oaks Day at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
A four-year-old chestnut filly by Fearless Vision out of the Traditional mare Electrifying, bred by Elias Haloute who is also part-owner of the filly with Stephan Narinesingh, Bilingual won the fifth race on the 11-race card in Overnight Allowance company going 1,200 metres in a time of 1:12.3.
Lightweight rider Wesley “Callaloo” Henry, who knows this filly well, brought her with a well-timed run on the outside to go past Wong Don and Dancing Queen to take her to her sixth career win spanning 13 starts and second as a four-year-old.
Henry, after the win, gave his views on the performance of the filly.
“She is a very versatile horse who is very competitive as she can sprint and stay. Trainer Nunes is not around today (Saturday) to fill you in with more details; he went to attend his daughter’s graduation and should be back later today.
“In today’s (Saturday) race I just broke her sharp and noticed the speed that was up front was quick, so I just sat and waited and three furlongs out I put her on the outside. She came off the turn a bit wide as she was just getting going, and I was trying switch the stick to change the lead and get her to run.
“Down the stretch she was full of running and at the one-furlong pole she found the lead and started to easy a bit, and there was nobody there to run down, but I had to still keep her going for her to go on and win the race. As I said before, she is very versatile and you can get her to go over whatever distance she is trained to be competitive at.
“The way she feels now, she will improve further to probably compete in the Diamond Mile later in the year. She can do the short sprints as well as she can also be a miler. She has staying capabilities, having already run second in the 1000 Guineas to She’s A Maneater and second to Marlene My Love in the Jamaica Oaks last season. And as she matures, she feels as though she will become a better horse if she does not go to the breeding shed next year,” Henry said.