KINGSTON, Jamaica - They may not be the most recognisable combination at Caymanas Park but trainer Colin Blair and jockey Aaron Chatrie were not to be outdone on the 10-race card as they were among the standout performers on the day.
The duo first combined to win the seventh event, a five-year-old and upwards Maiden Condition race with Sensational Storm over 6 furlongs (1,200m), before topping the five-year-old and upwards Restricted Allowance curtain-call contest with importee Classical Orb over 7 furlongs (1,400m).
With those wins, both trainer and jockey opened their account for the season, Blair now having two wins with one second- and a third-place finish from four starters, while Chatrie’s stats reveal two wins, plus two second- and two third-place finishes.
Chatrie ensured Sensational Storm (Storm Craft-Fallabakami) justified favouritism when he tracked the pace from the off before assuming the lead at the top of the homestretch, where he pulled away for an effortless six-length win. Mardele (Ramon Nepare), Last Hoorah (Jerome Innis) and Jungle Cat (Jordan Barrett) completed the frame.
The Omar Nicholson-owned Sensational Storm won in 1:20.3. The splits were 24.4 and 50.3 seconds.
Unlike Sensational Storm, the American-bred Classical Orb was expected to play second fiddle in his contest, but with a collapsing pace in his favour at the closing stages the Javed Ali-owned five-year-old stormed through the pack to secure victory by three-quarter lengths.
Classical Orb won ahead of Omron (Ramon Nepare), favourite Regal and Royal (Tevin Foster), and Ianzha Links (Jordan Barrett) in a time of 1:30.1. The splits were 24.2, 48.2 and 1:14.2.
