The 2025 staging of the feature seven-furlong Allan A E “Billy” Williams Memorial Trophy was divided and run as races eight and nine.
Williams was champion trainer on three occasions. His first major success was winning the 1963 Derby with Thank You Sir after returning from a stint in England’s northeast as head lad at the stables of the great trainer Captain William Elsey in Yorkshire.
Later Williams was to saddle Buckchaser (1969), Legal Light (1977), Distinctly Native (1990) and Miracle Man (2005) to win the Premier Classic.
The first of the two divisions went to game front-runner Get A Pepsi (17 -1). Saddled by former jockey Fitzroy Glispie and given very accomplished assistance by seven-pound claiming jockey Richard Henry. Get A Pepsi held off the strong challenge of 6-5 bet Supremasi (Tevin Foster) with a neck to spare. Coincidentally, it was a very young Glispie who rode Legal Light for Williams in 1977.
Division II of the feature was landed by evens favourite Mamma Mia to close the triple for the DaCosta/Halledeen collaboration. The winner, a five-year-old chestnut mare, had a punishing stretch run duel with 2-1 backed Neo Star (Shane Ellis) but prevailed convincingly by a length and half. Halledeen, in ending the day with 12 winners, became the first jockey to reach double digits this year.
Tyrese Anderson, a recent graduate of the Jamaica Racing Commission Riding School, achieved a life-long career memory with his first success in the opener of nine events. Partnering maiden Sir Ganga Jamuna, an 11-1 shot for the four furlongs straight dash, Anderson kept his balance and composure in guiding the six-year-old bay horse, conditioned by Rohan Mathie to an advantage of a neck over even-money favourite ZD Eye.
In race two, the 1-2 bet Solace (Demetri Senior), was clearly not ready when her starting gate at post position two flew ajar for the six-furlong gallop. Additionally, this favourite hopped for the first two strides and eventually finished outpaced in fourth. On the other hand, Pappie Don (9-5) declared by Gregg Fennell led comfortably after two furlongs and came home nearly two clear of the nearest rival for the first win of double success for champion Raddesh Roman.
Early leading reinsman Robert Halledeen, who in televised interview revealed he will be a contender for the riding title this season, rode the first of three on the day in tandem with champion trainer Jason Dacosta.
United States bred three-year-old colt American Aviator (1-5) duly delivered on his much-heralded debut over the five and a half furlongs of race three with Halledeen mostly hand riding to a two and half-length victory.
The DaCosta/Halledeen partnership completed the second of the three wins with hard knocking filly Lucy In The Sky (2-1) outstaying her closest rival by just under four lengths at the end of the one-mile exertion for the top prize of race four.
Bred at YS 1955 Limited and owned by Elizabeth DaCosta, Lucy In The Sky now a four-year-old bay filly was having her 21st appearance and won for the first time since scoring on debut in August 2023.
In race five, run at five furlongs round, Roman confirmed his two-timer as he induced a late stretch run from Unruly Dude. This 9-5 favourite, trained by Marvin Campbell, was the best in a desperate three-cornered rush for the line with margins of a neck by a neck separating the first three to finish.
At the end of race six, over five and a half furlongs, owner/trainer Paul Charlton was in the winners’ enclosure with Powerofherhighness (5-1) after veteran Ian Spence executed the riding honours which required finding space between rivals to deliver the decisive challenge.
Race seven was won by Fearless Force (3-1), declared by former 14-time champion Philip Feanny with Tevin Foster at the reins after a late rush to assume the ascendancy in the final strides to score by a half-length.
