KINGSTON, Jamaica - THE opening event of ten on the programme provided an opportunity for the sparsely engaged apprentice, Daniel Thompson, to make a rare visit to the winners’ enclosure.
In the absence of declared rider Ramon Nepare for Congrats Suckie, second-generation trainer Michael Marlowe resorted to the skills of Thompson. The young and inexperienced rider responded with an admirable job to get the six-year-old mare home by two lengths at odds of 25/1 in the competitive 1400-metre gallop.
Even money favourite Ashley’s Glory, conditioned by another second-generation horseman Steven Todd, led and was always clear to score by over two lengths in the second to give former two-time champion reinsman Dick Cardenas his first of two winning mounts on the day.
Trainer Gary Subratie, similar in generational status to Marlowe and Todd, had his first of two wins.
Promising three-year-old colt Golden Blood, a lightly raced maiden and 1/5 favourite, gave jockey Dane Dawkins the first of a double as well in the 1600-metre third race.
In the 1300-metre fourth event, apprentice Daniel Satchell secured his fifth winning mount from the 34 chances he has been afforded to date when he brought 22/1 shot Musketoon with a strong stretch run for jockey-turned-trainer Fernando Geddes to win a third race from only 14 starts this season. Owner-trainer Colin Ferguson must have felt a sense of accomplishment following the 1000-metre-straight fifth event. Running for the first occasion at four and a half years old, Stevie The Great (Matthew Bennett) justified the trainer’s expensive perseverance with a five-length romp at odds of 7/1.
In terms of lineage, not to be outdone by his peers Marlowe, Todd and Subratie, Jason DaCosta saddled Elitist (Anthony Thomas), a strong second favourite at 8/5, to score in the 1200-metre sixth event for the first of a double to get the second-generation parade of winners back on track.
There is no doubt the frequently raced grey Elitist (43 starts) is a favourite of his as she is owned by his mom, Elizabeth. The filly was his first official winner on local soil with victory on April 7 this year.
The 34-year-old DaCosta conditioned over 381 winners in effectively a decade-long practice in the United States.
The second-generation blitz was extended in the seventh with Subratie saddling the second of his two wins in tandem with in form reinsman Dane Dawkins in the irons for a double as well.
Imported from the United States, Moonova, a nicely conformed grey of excellent temperament, came from off the pace to wear down front-running True Bravado (Robert Halledeen) in the 1000-metre dash on the round course, releasing her maiden tag at the third time of asking.
Races eight and nine over 1600 and 1100 metres, respectively provided a respite from the second-generation onslaught on the purses, only for it to be resumed in the 1400-metre tenth.
DaCosta turned out 6/5 winning favourite Above Hall Links in front-running condition to close a double for his stable and for Cardenas as well.
Surprisingly, there was only one winner for the cohort on the ten-race programme of July 17 but regular service was resumed with a vengeance with six on this card.
The 2021 combined tally for the 12-strong cohort now stands at 208 out of the 460 races this season. Against the background of sharing the profession with in excess of 100 other operational stables, this level of returns is extraordinary.
It is always good to see trainers who operate in smaller stables enjoy success, and Sensational Gold (Oneil Mullings) battled gamely at odds of 7/1 to shed its maiden status for owner/trainer Randolph Scott in the eighth.
In the ninth, Trevor’s Choice (Shane Ellis), the 4/5 favourite, outsprinted nine rivals for trainer Alford Brown to record his eighth win of the season.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Colin Ferguson for the flawless performance of debutant Stevie The Great and for this victory, the colt is easily deserving of the Best Winning Gallop accolade.
Given the fact it was the proverbial “chance ride”, which inevitably meant unfamiliarity with the mare , apprentice Daniel Thompson cops the Jockeyship Award for his performance on Congrats Suckie.
