KINGSTON, Jamaica - FEATURE event, the 1100-metre Titania Trophy, was the final on the nine-race programme, and the race restricted to three-year-old fillies had a maximum field of 14 starters declared.
Incidentally, four horses were eliminated to satisfy an unnecessary safety measure imposed a decade ago by the Jamaica Racing Commission. There was a reduction in the maximum field size from 16 over this distance as well as the 1000-metre round, and a lowering to 12 for the 1820-metre courses was also imposed.
This was in response to the occasional incident of not all jockeys exercising due care when shifting their mounts towards the inner rails running from the wider post positions. The problem was not the distance or the number of starters, it was an indictment of the competence of the offending riders and should have been addressed as such. These strictures should be abandoned since eliminated declarations occur with some frequency when these distances are offered for maidens and lower-category races.
Rightly, the clockers had the majority of punters expecting significant improvement from the Spencer Chung-trained Mum, declared as the favourite following a spectacular exercise gallop a week ago.
Aaron Chatrie had Mum (4/5) in front before the race was too old but the filly succumbed by half a length to the stronger finish of Anthony Nunes’ Magical Mood ridden by Tevin Foster at odds of 7/2. This winning mount closed a double for Foster following victory in the 1820-metre sixth event aboard Gary Subratie’s Rack Away, sent off as the even-money favourite.
The opener was won by Rashid (2/1), trained by Anthony Subratie and ridden by Devon A Thomas. The four-year-old colt is difficult to train and was only out for the second time since October 2020.
Half an hour later the most memorable moment of the day materialised. Two juveniles, Babylike (Oniel Mullings) at 4/5 and imported Power (Ian Spence) at 3/2, both trained by former 13-time champion Philip Feanny, were expected to dominate affairs in the 1000-metre round second, but the reality was nothing of the sort. Babylike (eventually disqualified from third) led into the straight but debutant Pelicula (60/1) and winner Fly Messenger Fly (16/1) sustained their gallops better.
In terms of balance and control running four-wide at the top of the stretch as well as athletic ability and use of the whip, the jockeyship of Abigail Abel was a revelation. The front view of her riding the finish indicated she met the criterion for competence comfortably in most respects. The late 18-time champion trainer Wayne DaCosta thought very highly of her and this columnist posits that Samantha Fletcher has won more races but Miss Able is a better rider.
In race three, for the first of a double, joint champion and current leader Anthony Thomas coaxed a short-head win margin out of trainer Roy Matthews’ 4/5 favourite Thunderstrike in the 1500-metre third.
I Am Fred (Phillip Parchment) returned to winning ways at 3/1 for conditioner Jason DaCosta, and in the fifth over 1200 metres 11/1 chance Hijo Primero (Romario Spencer) arrived in the final strides for trainer Johnny Wilmot’s 25th success from 92 starts.
Even money favourite Big Paul (Linton Steadman), trained by Anthony Nunes, escaped the late rush of Blu Attitude (Oshane Nugent) by a nose.
Thomas confirmed his double success when 7/1 pick Capturemyship sprinted in front over the 1000-metre straight course eighth race to give trainer Gregory Forsyth his 17th success from 80 starts this season.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Forsyth for Capturemyship’s performance in speeding to his third victory at this Overnight Allowance level, having been acquired as a six-year-old in 2020. The 11-time winning seven-year-old, with 37 appearances, displayed the Best Winning Gallop. Miss Abigail Able gets her first Jockeyship Award and is encouraged to work even harder at her craft.
