KINGSTON, Jamaica - With no trophy race up for decision on the 10-race programme, the 1000 metres round Overnight Allowance run as the final of the meet provided the main attraction.
Justifiably, the Anthony Nunes-conditioned Nuclear Noon was heavily favoured (4/5) having finished after beating a useful field over 1,200 metres six days earlier. In his post-race interview jockey Robert Halledeen revealed the colt was cramped for room early and had to be given a harder race than expected to score by 1 ½ lengths with a late flourish.
In the opening event, the even-money favourite Zi Beast led and was always clear to give Javaniel Patterson the first of two winners on the card. Claimed by popular conditioner Patrick “Mice” Taylor last June, the seven-year-old gelding was deemed too lame to gallop in the races for which he was declared on July 10 and again on September 15. Taylor’s patience was well rewarded.
Half an hour later in the second, cleverly named Brinks, an impressively conformed bay colt bred, owned, and trained by Ian Parsard cantered over six other juveniles. The 8 ½ - length victory margin and the time of 1:07.3 for the 1,100-metre sprint for maidens done by Brinks is not to be discounted. This progeny of Bern Identity will be a contender for the major prizes confined to first-season racers.
Having visited the winners’ enclosure aboard Brinks as the 4/5 favourite, jockey Omar Walker enjoyed double success as trainer Donovan Russell’s six-year-old mare Storm Born (9/2) led early and never looked likely to be overtaken in the 1000 metres round third event.
The fourth turned out to be time for former top apprentice Raddesh Roman to enjoy the thrill of victory, having been side-lined with a stubborn injury to his shoulder late last year and only returned recently to race-riding. Partnering 4/5 favourite Faulyna Forever for trainer Richard Phillips, Roman had the mare in front but arrived at the winning post with only a nose to spare.
Jockey Odeen Edwards won the fifth event aboard Buzz Assault for trainer Patrick Smellie to secure only his first winning mount from 38 attempts this year
Although shuffled back briefly in the early stages Artesia (Youville Pinnock) was able to work her way to the front 500 metres out to turn for home better than three lengths clear. To win the sixth, the Richard Azan-schooled three-year-old grey filly ran very well inside the last 200 of the 1200 metres distance to hold the lead safely at odds of 8/1.
Hard-knocking three-year-old maiden filly Whispering Magic (4/5) removed this status in her 23 attempts (19 this year) for trainer Gary Griffiths in winning the 1,200-metre seventh event, with champion apprentice Oshane Nugent providing the assistance from the saddle.
While in the eighth, lightly raced Unruly Boss (6/5), who has sprinted in his four appearances, showed his appreciation of the opportunity presented by trainer Jason DaCosta to run in the 1,600-metre eighth event. The leggy and rangy colt won under a highly intelligent ride from leading reinsman Anthony Thomas’s use of the colt’s speed in the last 500 metres.
Javaniel Paterson secured his double by guiding the Leroy Tomlinson-trained staying four-year-old filly Ajita (8/1) to a five-and-a-half-length victory margin, confirming her reserves of stamina in the ninth event contested by a field of 11.
