ANOTHER COMMANDER BENEFITS FROM CHANGE OF EQUIPMENT
RUNNING with the blinkers off and with Lasix administered, the Lawrence Freemantle-conditioned Another Commander made one move to win Division Two of a four-year-old and upwards Restricted Allowance 11 V event over 5 ½ furlongs (1,100m).
Ridden by veteran Devon A Thomas, Another Commander, breaking from the number one post, shot to the front with Daytona Belle (Dick Cardenas), Sensational Satin (Javaniel Patterson) and Diamond League (Akeem Grant) following.
Another Commander drew clear of rivals coming into the lane and although drifting out in the straight, the four-year-old chestnut colt moved away to beat rivals by 8 lengths in a time of 1:08.3.
Sheboom, under Tevin Foster, came from far behind to get second ahead of the also fast-finishing Duke of Springs, the mount of Shane Ellis.
BACK-TO-BACK WINS FOR NO WORK PERMIT
AFTER notching her first win on March 13, American-bred No Work Permit defied the odds and romped to her second-consecutive win after outstaying rivals in a Restricted Allowance event over 9 furlongs and 25 yards (1,820m).
Trained by Patrick Lynch, No Work Permit was well away when the gates opened as the four-year-old bay filly disputed the early lead with Primal Fear (Dick Cardenas) going around the clubhouse turn. This battle for the lead continued around the half mile (800m) turn and then No Work Permit was let loose by her rider Javaniel Patterson to take up the lead approaching the distance.
Patterson then had to survive the late surge of Green Gold Rush (Anthony Thomas) who, after backing off around the last turn, resurfaced with a furlong and a half to go. Versatile Vision, ridden by Paul Francis, was third.
No Work Permit won by a neck in a final time of a respectable 2:02.0.
JOCKEY CHALRICK BUDHAI RETURNS A WINNER ON HELICOPTER
JOCKEY Chalrick Budhai returned to competitive riding and was able to get off the mark with his first mount when he piloted home the Gordon Lewis-bred, -owned and -trained Helicopter to win the opening event, a Restricted Allowance V event for four-year-olds and upwards at 5 ½ furlongs.
Helicopter took off slowly out of his box and raced behind the speed set by Triple Seven (Jerome Innis) and favourite Elitist, under Anthony Thomas. Helicopter came into contention approaching the distance while moving down into third place behind Elitist and Triple Seven.
In deep stretch Budhai asked his mount to run and Helicopter overpowered Elitist to win by three parts of a length in the end, with Another Prosecutor (Christopher Mamdeen) getting third. The final time for the event was 1:08.2.
SAINT MICHAEL A WINNER
TRAINER Johnny Wilmot saddled Saint Michael to victory in a native-bred five-year-old and upwards Restricted Allowance V (NW2) contest to register his fifth victory for the year.
Ridden by Paul Francis, Saint Michael surged to the front after a couple of strides after leaving his starting stall. Saint Michael held the lead ahead of Devine Lexie (Richard Reid) and Sea Cruise (Linton Steadman) down the backstretch.
Challenged by Sweet Surprise (Anthony Thomas) in deep stretch, Saint Michael found extra and drew off to win by 1 ¼ lengths. Sweet Surprise was second and Sea Cruise third.
Saint Michael won the 7 ½ furlongs (1,500m) event in a time of 1:39.1.
TEN HORSES CLAIMED
THE claiming box got some action as a total of 10 horses went through on the 11-race programme.
In the fourth race Ray Philips claimed Waltzing Matilda for owner Kalmin McCleod from Donovan Russell; Roy Matthews claimed Prince Sammo for owner Faye Lee from Henry Harrison Jr; Fitzgerald Richards claimed Union Four for himself from Ian Alexander; Arnold Rambally Jr claimed Smooth Criminal for owner Leslie Bennett and Winston Radlein from Lincoln Lungs; Rambally Jr also claimed winner Danceallnight for himself from Richard Todd; and Ryan Darby claimed Lady Budget for owner Raphael Gordon from Lawrence Freemantle. All horses from the fourth event were claimed for $250,000 each.
Ryan Darby claimed winner Killer Bee for owner Hubert Kerr for $450,000 from Byron Davis and Gresford Smith claimed runner-up Awesome Aviator for himself, also for $450,000, from Gregory Forsyth from the fifth race.
In the sixth race, Fitzgerald Richards claimed Powerful Red for himself and Nigel Dunn from Lawrence Freemantle, and Albert Chong claimed Hail Mary for owner Henry Mitto from Phillip Lee. Both horses were claimed for $180,000 each.
