The 800-metre dash of the opening event presented Sabina (1-2), freshened from her previous outing last October, to make full use of the ideal opportunity to outsprint her more moderate rivals.
Ridden by Jerome Ennis, her early advantage was not threatened as she was the best by just over three lengths for trainer Owen Sharpe.
Big and well-conformed debutant Crown Chaser (1-9), schooled by former three-time champion Anthony Nunes and ridden by Raddesh Roman looked the part in the parade ring and raced accordingly for the first of a stable double. The promising colt scored by 11 lengths in the day’s second restricted to three-year-old maidens and contested over 1300 metres.
Even the most optimistic touts of Roman, as being most likely to win the 2024 riding title, could not have predicted that today would have been the most successful day of his career in the saddle with a global traditionally rare six-timer. The rider’s confidence and recent improvement over the last four months has been a significant talking point.
Spitzen Khan (2-5), trained by Patrick Smellie and ridden by former five-time champion Trevor Simpson, had to work extremely to land the odds in race three over 1100 metres. The nice-looking maiden colt, having only his fourth appearance, won under hard driving and had only three parts of length to spare over runner-up Sir Wong Don (9-5) ridden by Jordan Barrett.
In race four, the 1-9 favourite Sparkles, who cantered over maidens to score by a conservative ten lengths previously, hardly raised a gallop and ran as though something was amiss to finish 17 lengths behind. On the other hand, Cappucino (15-1), a four-year-old filly trained by Lawrence Freemantle Jr and partnered by 2022 champion Dane Dawkins, led and was always clear to be over eleven lengths ahead of her nearest rival.
Declared by veteran Joseph Thomas, Dodge This Link (5-1) was a 13-length runaway over the 1300 metres of race five but Roman had an agonizing wait to confirm his riding double.
There was an incident 800 metres out in which Dodge This Link appeared to take the ground of a rival. However, after the regular lengthy deliberations, including a jockey’s objection, the “no change to the order of finish” announcement came as a relief for owner, trainer, jockey and the backers.
Following his second trip to the winner’s enclosure, Roman continued the assault on his fellow professionals. This with 18-1 shot Great Wayne, saddled by Marlon Pusey, to deliver a two-length victory over the 1000 metres of the straight course of race six to seal the first triple. The in-form rider was not engaged in race seven which went to Anika Belle (6-5) declared by Lydia Anglin to outsprint stable mate Edina Marsh (4-5) over 800 metres.
The “Sneaky Fox” (Roman’s sobriquet) show resumed in race eight, Division I of the featured 1100-metre James B Dawes Memorial Trophy. Gary Subratie’s improving four-year-old colt Sensational Move (4-5) galloped a fast (1:05.4) to register a 12-length romp to close the marauding rider’s four-timer.
While in Division II, run as the ninth event, Roman came back four lengths in front aboard the Fitzgerald Richards conditioned four-year-old filly a Gift From Ben (9-1). Roman’s best display was left for last and came in the hugely competitive nightcap.
To close the Nunes stable double and his six-timer, the now leading reinsman produced a well-timed effort to strike the front with 5-1 bet Wow How inside the last 100 metres of the 1600 to confirm his best day in the saddle; a feat that is unlikely to be repeated.
