KINGSTON, Jamaica - FROM a declaration of 69 horses there were four absentees on this programme, and it follows the previous day’s eerily similar experience where there were three from the 70 expected.
In fairness, there have been certain challenges for the racing office with the heavy schedule of race meetings last December as well as trainers having some difficulty maintaining adequate feed stock due to the impact of price and availability. The expectation is that it will be an issue to fill the races in the 89-race 2023 calendar.
The unofficial audit of the horse population for 2022 by this column has not been finalised, with two months outstanding. Up to October 31, 1051 horses participated in races starting on New Year’s Day.
Here is where the problem lies. At that date 210 of those remained unraced for upwards of 180 days, or six months. Effectively, up to a fifth of the registered population remain unavailable at any given time — and this situation has been constant for at least the last five years.
Race one, run over 1000 metres round on a race card not especially superior to a Gymkhana meeting, ended in victory for the Gresford Smith-trained maiden filly Code Of Conduct (9-5). She took 2019 champion Christopher Mamdeen to the winners’ enclosure for the first of his two successes on the card. The bustling reinsman returned to the hallowed space following a hard-fought win aboard Special Counsel (8-5) for conditioner Tyrone Prince to open the seasonal account. Race four was won at a distance of 1000 metres straight.
With the five declarations of the 1200-metre second event reduced to three, Smarty Tradition (1-5) saddled by Winchester McIntosh, cantered 22 lengths clear over the nearer of the two remaining pretenders, with Robert Halledeen doing next to nothing for his 10 per cent riding commission. This proved to be the first of a couple of wins for the enigmatic rider on the day.
Race three, run over 1100 metres, furnished the only talking points of the quiet Sunday afternoon and resulted in the confirmation of double success for the-in form Halledeen. First past the post, Flybluejet (USA) ridden by Reyan Lewis was disqualified. The Stewards’ Inquiry notice was posted immediately or to be more precise before the field pulled up. Halledeen, who piloted runner-up Rejected Raja (7-2), schooled by Robert Pearson, lodged a plausible objection on the grounds of intimidation and interference approaching the final 200 metres.
Lewis was betrayed by the incontrovertible filmed evidence confirming that, in using a right-handed whip, his mount shifted left to interfere with the efforts of his main rival challenging against the far rails. Naturally among the punters there was an evenly split debate as to the justification, or otherwise, of the penalty imposed. However, in this circumstance Lewis clearly did not exercise due care for the safety and disregarded the well-being of his fellow professional.
Over five lengths clear at the line with Romario Spencer at the reins, Contractor (5-2) won the 1000- metre-straight fifth convincingly for trainer Ryan Derby to open his 2023 account, followed in the sixth by trainer Anthony Nunes to the winners’ enclosure to meet 11½-length runaway Noble Impulse (Tevin Foster). The lightly four-year-old chestnut colt was always clear over 1100 metres at generous odds of 5-2 for the rider’s first of two on the day.
Following his riding double 24 hours earlier, three-kilogramme claiming jockey Ramon Nepare rode Soul
Amia (5-1) to a victory margin of more than six lengths over the 1000-metre straight course of race seven for Keffin Murray to saddle his second winner this season.
Coincidentally, following Murray’s success Alford Brown posted Yellowstone, at odds of 3-1, winning the 1200-metre eighth for Foster to confirm a double and indeed five winners over the two-day race card. Both Murray and Brown were formerly attached to the stable and learnt their craft at the feet of past 14-time champion Phillip Feanny who, but for the disqualification of Flybluejet (USA), would have saddled four winners over the two days. The winner on this card for the great trainer came in the ninth event run over 1200 metres, with even money favourite Bazinga (Reyan Lewis) scoring by one and a half lengths in the maiden event restricted to three-year-old fillies.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Tyrone Prince for posting Special Counsel, fresh from a hiatus of over five months, to deliver the Best Winning Gallop for which speed and courage was paramount (in addition to the skill set of Christopher Mamdeen) for Mamdeen to be credited with the Jockeyship Award.
