This midweek card opened with a deserved victory for Black Point (Romario Smith) ending a frustrating run of three consecutive second-place finishes for trainer Phillip Elliot, who is also a part-owner.

In the fourth event Elliot’s frustration was to return two hours later when Nuclear Thunder (Omar Walker) was disqualified from first place for causing interference to the Spencer Chung-trained Lord Ashton (Aaron Chatrie), in the last 200 metres.

Leading reinsman Christopher Mamdeen had very little to do with a five-length victory by trainer Neville Peralto’s Struck By Grace. Similarly in the third Robert Halledeen was able to ease the well-weighted Peking Cruz 100 metres out, thus ending trainer Richard Azan’s absence from the winner’s enclosure since July.

Looking well-trained, Anthony Nunes’ Versatile Vision, a medium-sized filly installed odds-on favourite, was overpowered by Patrick Taylor’s Another Commander (Javaniel Patterson) by over five lengths in the fifth race for horses in their first season.

Out for his eleventh 2019 appearance with only one third-place finish to date, Pleasant Secret (Ameth Robles) was presented in fighting-fit condition by trainer Gary Subratie in the sixth of the afternoon. In front at the top of the homestretch, Pleasant Secret was headed by Five Star 175 metres out, but rallied gamely to prevail by just over one length.

Race eight was easy for Phillip Lee’s 10-year-old Phineas, who found the muddy surface easy on his delicate legs to give apprentice Kiaman McGregor the first of two wins on the day. McGregor only had a wait of just over half an hour before he brought late-running Salah with a well-timed run to present trainer Steven Todd with his 33rd winner of 2019 in race nine.

The nightcap gave trainer Winchester McIntosh his first winner of the season as his eight-year-old mare Also Correct never had her lead threatened for win number 13 from 66 starts, and Halledeen’s second of the afternoon.

In the fifth event, veteran conditioner Peter McMaster saddled seven-year-old Ras Emanuel (Omar Walker) to victory from the horse’s fifth start of the season. Led by Sergeant Reckless in receipt of seven kilos, Ras Emanuel battled gamely to join the frontrunner in the last 200 metres and came home marginally ahead.

Training Feat Award goes to Peter McMaster for his excellent conditioning of Ras Emanuel to a deserved and an unchallenged claim to the Best Winning Gallop Award, and the Jockeyship Award to Walker, whose balance, athletic ability and skilful use of whip and reins were the significant deciding factors.