KINGSTON, Jamaica - The Supreme Venture Limited 21st Anniversary Trophy was on offer for the winner of this 1,100-metre Open Allowance/Graded Stakes staged as the ninth and feature event on the 11-race programme. A field of eight, including leading trainer Jason DaCosta’s progressive filly Double Diva, was declared along with four others from his high-powered barn. I Am Fred (USA) failed to report to the starter, so the camp was further represented by Hover Craft, King Arthur the 2020 Derby winner and Eagle One (USA).
Interestingly, after opening odds of 1-2 Double Diva (Anthony Thomas) eventually closed as the 6-5 favourite. On recent form at 52 kilogrammes, Gary Subratie’s Duke with leading reinsman Dane Dawkins was best off at the weights and used the opportunity confirm his advantageous handicap by three parts of a length over Double Diva to confirm double success for the title-chasing rider.
In sprint races of this quality there is very little margin for error and the US-bred favourite failed to be alert and was last to leave the gates. Despite the best effort of Thomas, Duke struck the front 80 metres out and denied Double Diva’s late effort to score at odds of 5-2 for owner The Success Farm. Speaking of odds, there are numerous complaints the new design of the totalisator display on the monitors presents a colour scheme design extremely difficult to read and this should be revisited.
Crowd favourite Phillip “Parchie” Parchment had a start to a wonderful race meet when he guided 6-5 favourite Zion to win the 1,600-metre opener for trainer Marlon Anderson. Further success for the hard-working rider was immediate.
Half an hour later in the 1,300-metre gallop for the winning purse of the second race, Tensang Chung’s Duke Of Springs (USA), disqualified from first in its previous start with Parchment aboard, confirmed the second of the rider’s three by nearly three lengths at 4-5.
In keeping with the winning favourite trend, Pakman (2-5), saddled by Joseph Thomas and ridden by four-kilogramme claiming jockey Calvin Bailey, who was able to display an economy of effort with his mount seven lengths better than nearest pursuer in race three run at 1,000 metres round.
Long-serving conditioner Arnold Rambally presented his first winner of the season with Roger Hewitt inducing a successful charge from 6-1 Loose Ball near the end of the 1,100 metres of race four.
Race five, contested over the 1,000-metre straight course, was won by the Philip Feanny schooled US-bred maiden Gilbert (3-1) with veteran Everton Miller at the reins.
A heavy downpour ensured race six over 1,400 metres had sloppy underfoot conditions. This seemingly heralding a “Parchie” three-timer with Diligent (5-1) galloping in close pursuit of the front runners stayed on to score by three parts of a length for trainer Gary Griffiths.
Patrick Lynch’s maiden colt Sugar Daddy (5-2) led and was always clear over the 1000 metres round of race seven with Raddesh Roman who was to encounter mixed fortune on the day doing the riding honours.
Prior to the start of the race eight Roman suffered an injury at the gates. He was replaced by Dawkins whose assistance confirmed Lynch’s stable double success and giving the rider his first of two wins with Sheboom scoring at odds of 4-1.
On his 14th mount of the season infrequently engaged jockey Jemar Jackson riding Awesome Rich (6-1) for trainer Steven Todd had a four-length lead 300 metres out reduced to the narrowest official victory margin of a nose at the end of the 1,000-metre straight gallop of race 10.
While in the eleventh and closing event Quiet Boss (15-1) saddled by Ian Alexander nearly blinded 13 rivals with speed on the muddy surface of the 1000-metre straight course. Quiet Boss was partnered by 2-kilo claiming lightweight apprentice Jordan Barrett for only his fifth success of the season from 110 opportunities.
