In the opener, Royal Vibes (Phillip Parchment) in among opposition devoid of the speed and the requisite stamina to defeat him shared the back marker position down to backstretch. Commencing a strong run wide of rivals 700 metres out this took him clear of the front running Atlantic Blue inside the last 150 winners for leading owner Carlton Watson and trainer Wayne DaCosta to visit the winner’s enclosure.

Shane Ellis, two wins on the day, was only required to keep Okahumpka on the bit for most of the 1000-metre second event for trainer Errol Pottinger to make his third trip to the winners’ enclosure with his 16th start of the season.

The long odds-on favourite for race three, Lovers Strike saddled by Fitznahum Williams rounded rivals and shot over eight lengths clear in the home straight for apprentice Raddesh Roman, who was returning from a two-day suspension.

The connections of Kingswood resorted to leading reinsman Christopher Mamdeen to end the frustrating series of three consecutive second-place finishes. On this occasion conditioner, Errol Waugh turned him out in unbeatable condition to score by a conservative six lengths in the day’s fourth event.

Incidentally, having two disqualifications recently, Mamdeen (75 wins) is likely to be suspended, and although likely to be short, a threat to his championship aspirations could materialise in the form of past six-time titlist Omar Walker (58 wins).

With Walker’s chief patron Wayne DaCosta in no mood to concede the trainer’s title to Anthony Nunes before December 31, this admittedly significant 17-win lead may not present Walker with an insurmountable challenge.

Odds on favourite Kingsman (Omar Walker) only escaped the finishing rush of Raw Liquid by a neck to enable trainer Ian Parsard’s owners PJK Team to pose for the cameras in the winners’ enclosure and collect the winning share of the fifth-race purse.

Patrick Lynch’s strapping grey Innovator, a former inmate of Gary Subratie, is a horse who although not likely to ever develop the ability to match his looks finished best to score at 5/2 in the sixth event.

With the half a dozen preliminaries out of the way it was time for the two best juveniles at this stage of 2019 to claim the spotlight in the Bearings & Accessories Trophy.

What transpired amounted to an anticlimax as not even the most optimistic supporter, including even owners Michros and breeder Michael Bernard, could have expected the Gary Subratie-trained colt Wow Wow to score by 10 lengths. Wayne DaCosta’s England’s Rose, having worked spectacularly in preparation, failed to justify odds-on favouritism. Setting fast early fractions, the filly was overtaken easily and ran in the straight as though something was amiss.

Out for the third occasion, Gary Subratie’s speedy filly Rachel’s Grace turned for home in front and was never threatened to make it a natural betting double for the meticulous conditioner and give jockey Jerome Innis only his fifth win from 132 rides.

When Javaniel Patterson guided Michael Marlowe’s Dada’s Nala late surge through the battling but tired front-runners to win the nightcap this jockey won his eighth race from 222 rides. Less than two seasons ago these two lightweight riders of unquestioned competence had a very high return of winners but unfortunately, this is no longer the case.

Race nine, The Mark My Word Trophy, featured the reappearance of this year’s Anthony Nunes-schooled Triple Crown winner Supreme Soul (Shane Ellis) taking on older rivals for the first time.

Seeking a ninth victory from 10 starts, the three-year-old champion did not disappoint. In front during the backstretch run, Ellis took him in hand when Superluminal and Bruce Wayne came alongside 1,100 metres from the finish.

Superluminal tried to escape 300 metres out but the response from Supreme Soul was immediate to be almost on terms although taken wide in negotiating the home turn. Although battling gamely under top weight Superluminal, the 2015 St. Leger hero, was forced into submission and eventually surrendered by one-and-a-half lengths.

THE AWARDS

The Training Feat Award is presented to Anthony Nunes, the Best Winning Gallop Award to Supreme Soul for another display of speed, courage, and stamina and the Jockeyship Award to Ellis whose horsemanship is a significant factor in the colt’s spectacular success.