The automatic Mouttet Mile invitational five-race series got underway with today’s featured eight-and-a-half furlongs Ian Levy Cup.
Staged as the ninth race on a programme of ten races it was surprising to this writer that Commandant (USA), who eventually failed to finish, was the short-priced even money favourite over the opposing stable mates Tiz Tok (USA) at 2-1, Barnaby (USA) offering 5-1 against and the 2024 Mouttet Mile hero Funcaandun (USA) at the same price of 5-1).
Ridden by former six-time champion Omar Walker, six-year-old mare Atomica (6-1), the 2022-23 Horse-Of-The-Year, pursued by 2024 Fillies Guineas heroine Run Julie Run (6-1) made the early running easily, perhaps too easily for her rivals. At the end of four and a half furlongs the famous mare had all except the Tevin Foster guided US-bred Barnaby (5-1) in trouble.
Atomica quickened to turn for home over two lengths clear but failed by 25 yards and three parts of a length to hold the strong late flourish of the Anthony Nunes conditioned Barnaby (USA).
In the six and half furlong opener, Blu Sensation (6-5) under the spell of veteran reinsman Oniel Mullings scored by half a length to be the first of three successes on day for second generation trainer Peter-John Parsard.
The next visit to the winners’ enclosure for Parsard came in race six with maiden three-year-old colt I’m Outstanding(6-5) winning five-furlong straight by two lengths under 2023 champion Reyan Lewis.
In the nightcap to close the trainer’s three-timer Parsard’s Tigray Express(2-1) in an 11-length seven-furlong romp also confirmed the fourth for reigning champion jockey Raddesh Roman.
Favourite at 4-5, Sensational Move (1-1) was Roman’s first as the Gary Subratie declared five-year-old horse, the first of two for the stable was over five lengths clear at the end of the five and a half furlongs exertion of race two.
Half an hour later over a trip of six and a half furlongs Roman was back in the winners’ enclosure aboard maiden I Am Interested, a six-length winner of race three, saddled by Joseph Thomas.
Roman, in tandem with Subratie claimed the honours for race seven as 8-5 backed Flybluejet (USA) won the five-and-a-half-furlong gallop by nearly three lengths.
Elsewhere on the card, race four was won by Robert Pearson’s Mighty Gully(10-1) with the three-year-old filly’s strong finish got her to lead battling frontrunners Another One(Shane Ellis) and Bowmore (USA) with Richie Shakes at the final stride to score by a head.
The fifth event went to Galway Bay (2-1), saddled by Rudolph Hardial with Shakes keeping the nine-year-old horse in the lead over the four furlongs of the straight course to win by three lengths.
For race seven, the former 14-time champion Philip Feanny turned out US-bred Magnificent Force (7-1) in unbeatable form for a hand-ridden seven-length victory margin with veteran Ian Spence at the reins.
