RACE DAY REVIEW — SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2024
Featured on the nine-race programme was the 1,100-metre Millard Zaidie Trophy run as the nightcap.
Improving US-importee Inspire Force (8-5) was driven to victory by title-chasing Raddesh Roman to improve his tally to 55 this season.
Conditioned by former 14-time champion Philip Feanny, the four-year-old colt’s four successes include two over this trip and is likely to be fully effective over longer.
Twenty-four hours earlier Feanny’s stable presented a US-bred double as the imported horses continued to pay their way.
Four-kilo claimer Carlos Blake, on his 25th mount of the season, rode 9-1 shot rode Galway Bay to score by nearly two lengths in the 800-metre opening event. This was only the second success in the 39-race career of this horse.
Obviously difficult to train, the eight-year-old Nasheet-bred horse did a good turn for the long-serving conditioner Donovan Plummer to win a fourth race from 82 starts this season. Plummer’s stable has 19 other placed finishes so far this year and is a clear example of a hard-working trainer whose dedication is exemplary.
Back from suspension, leading reinsman Tevin Foster partnering with
Blue Sky (5-1) had no challenge inside the last 300 of the 1,400-metre second race for the first of two on the day. The Fitznahum Williams-conditioned five-year-old mare was in invincible form.
So too was Princess Fianie, winner of the seventh event for the second of Foster’s double success, giving the rider’s his 65th of the season to lead Roman by eight.
This was a fillies only maiden contest over 1,300 metres, and the Rudolph Hardial-schooled, Soul Warrior-bred bay scored by just under six lengths.
In race three, Anika Belle (3-1) ridden by two-kilo claimer Shane Richardson, for the first of a riding double could see all her rivals to the halfway point of the 1,400-metre gallop. However, mending rapidly from 500 metres out she joined frontrunner Power Of Faith (Paul Francis) inside the last 100 to battle gamely before prevailing by a neck.
Anika Belle, a five-year-old mare, trained by Lydia Anglin, has now won four of her last seven races and is now eligible for Overnight Allowance to compete with the vastly superior local and imported horses six classes above.
This is a measure of the seriously flawed claiming system which, for over three decades inherently and erroneously, gives the impression the owning and trading of racehorses can be fair to the majority and profitable.
Race four, run at 1,000 metres straight, Christopher Pearson’s speedy six-year-old mare Rocket Lily (7-2) led and was almost six lengths better than her nearest rival.
In race five, over 1,400 metres, Richardson confirmed his rare riding double by persuading Michael Marlowe’s consistent four-year-old filly Always Wright (9-2) to gallop to a six and a half-length triumph.
Consistent four-year-old Successful Native colt, Money Market (2-1) prepared by Gary Subratie won race six by three and a half lengths with veteran Paul Francis executing the riding skills over the 1,100 metres.
Trainer Fernando Geddes, a former jockey, saddled his first winner from four starts so far this season. The 13-1 bet maiden filly
Rack Dem’s burst of finishing speed after racing well off the early pace under two-kilo claimer Ramon Nepare, gave her a lead of a length and a half at the line over the 1300-metre exertion.
The Training Feat Award goes to Lydia Anglin for the improvement of Anika Belle with the mare executing the Best Winning Gallop in a demonstration of finishing speed, stamina and courage.
Shane Richardson’s judgement of pace and his balance in a close finish earns him the Jockeyship Award.