The betting in the opening event had two US imported four-year-olds dominating the tote. Backed to the tune of 2-5 was Propellent and the next best favoured was Final Load at even money with the former from the barn of Gary Subratie and ridden by Dane Dawkins and the latter from the stable of Winchester McIntosh with Robert Halledeen the pilot declared to ensure front running success.
The outcome of the seven-furlong contest was entirely predictable. First Load (USA) as expected raced into a clear and uncontested early advantage. From well off the pace, the best effort the far-striding Propellant (USA) fell short by three parts of length with third placed Money Box (9-1) 25 lengths further back. This emphasises the overmatching of horses in most races where generally inferior locally bred horses concede to weight superior imported horses.
For race two, owner/trainer Arnold Rambally declared Who Doneit (5-2) for the six-furlong gallop with veteran reinsman Larris’s “Amigo” Allen. The five-year-old bay horse proved to be just under two lengths better than his closest rival in the field of five.
In race three, over seven and a half furlongs, MPRS Links (2-1) saddled by Barrington Bernard gave Dane Dawkins, the 2022 champion jockey the first of four winners on the card by a margin of one and a half lengths.
Short-head winner Simply Enchanting (3-1), entered by owner/trainer Oral Hayden, won the traditional eight furlongs Andrew H B Aguliar Trophy for juveniles with leading the Raddesh Roman securing the first of a riding double.
Interestingly, race eight run at six furlongs was another event restricted to two-year-olds and Roman confirmed his second as the Philip Feanny schooled debutante Supernatural Power (USA), bet at 6-5 impressed by 16 lengths in a time of 1:11.3.
Former five-time champion Trevor Simpson gave a vintage display aboard Maya, conditioned by Phillip Elliot to score at odds of 23-1 in the competitive seven-furlong fifth event by a margin of a half a length.
Dawkins’ second of four, and the first of three for trainer Gary Subratie, came in the seven-furlong maiden sixth event with Mila Kay (3-1) in a late rush getting home by a neck.
Chief competitor of the front running Roman for 2024 the riding title Tevin Foster in responding to his rival had only one winner on the card. Captain Sparrow (6-5) declared by former three-time champion Anthony Nunes won the one-mile race seven by all of over seven and a half lengths.
With three race days to complete the 2024 season the title race could have taken a decisive turn with Roman at now at 127 to Foster’s 124 winners. However, with both having secured competitive mounts in the three days remaining it could go either way, but the Roman fan club is extremely confident.
Not entirely unexpectedly, the Dawkins and Gary Subratie showcase resumed in style in race nine for their third and second successes respectively leaving four and three to be confirmed in race ten.
Blue Vinyl (9-5), winner of the 2022 Two Thousand Guineas, returned to form with a six-length advantage in the featured eight furlongs Will In Charge Trophy.
Then imported maiden Train Of Thought (USA) 6-1 was five lengths superior to the nearest of 11 rivals over the seven and a half furlongs of the closing event.
