Consistency and patience paid off in a big way for the connections of Atlantic Convoy, as the talented four-year-old Canadian-bred chestnut colt secured his fifth local win in style in a convincing win in Division One of the Arthur Jones Memorial Cup on Saturday, August 17, 2024.
Trained by Patrick Lynch and ridden by Reyan Lewis, Atlantic Convoy (Stormy Atlantic – My Sweet Emily) romped home to a resounding 4 ½--length victory ahead of Sensational Move and Press Conference in an Overnight Allowance contest for three-year-olds and upward over six furlongs. Atlantic Convoy crossed the finishing line at 1:13.4 (24.0 x 48.0 x 1:00.2).
Reyan Lewis shared the strategy behind Atlantic Convoy's dominant win in a post-race interview.
"He didn't break sharply, but I had to keep him engaged to stay in contention," Lewis explained.
Lewis managed the pace, giving Atlantic Convoy a brief breather mid-race before urging him on again at the three-furlong mark. The colt responded eagerly, unleashing a powerful surge down the straight.
"When I asked him to kick, he drew alongside the leaders effortlessly," Lewis said with a smile. "From that moment, I knew we had the win in the bag,” Lewis said.
As the gates opened, Sensational Move (Raddesh Roman) shot to the front, setting a blistering pace ahead of A Gift From Ben (Oneil Mullings) and Posing Already (Shane Richardson).
Atlantic Convoy was biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. As the field approached the half-mile turn, he began to make his move, slipping into fourth place, setting his sights on the leaders.
With momentum on his side, Atlantic Convoy weaved through the pack, challenging Sensational Move for the top spot in the final stretch. Atlantic Convoy edged ahead, then pulled away with ease.
