Silent Cat shouts out
After 19 starts, the Donovan Russell-trained Silent Cat got his head in front at the wire for the first time with a come-from-behind win in a
native-bred four-year-old and upwards maiden condition race over 7 ½ furlongs (1,500m).
With Dane Nelson in the saddle, Silent Cat (Silent Valor – Let The Cat Purr) wasn’t in good order at the off and was among the backmarkers.
Commissioner (Roger Hewitt) shot to the front leaving the seven-furlong (1,400m) point ahead of Mighty Chelsea (Anthony Thomas) and Mister A (Javaniel Patterson).
Commissioner maintained his gallop down the backstretch with Mister A pressing all the while, Silent Cat, meanwhile, made improvement, sneaking up on rivals on the inside rails.
Turning for home with a clear run on the inside rails, Silent Cat responded to the orders of Nelson and powered home to win by 1 ½ lengths in a time of 1:37.1.
Qurandero (Tevin Foster) finished second while Comandante Lunar (Kiaman McGregor), the even money favourite was third.
Lady Carmen in ‘straight’ victory
Trained by Nicholas Smith and ridden by Javaniel Patterson, eight-year-old bay mare Lady Carmen (Blue Pepsi Lodge – Princess Talia) obliged as the even money favourite in a five-year-old and upwards claiming ($180,000-$150,000) event for horses who have not won a race since October 13 of last year.
Travelling only four furlongs (800m), Lady Carmen got a good break, was straightened coming across the dummy rails and ran home to win by 5 comfortable lengths.
Smokescreen, under Shane Richardson, came home in second place and Special Prosecutor, ridden by Matthew Bennett, finished in third place. The final time for the quick dash was 49.1. Lady Carmen provided Patterson with his seventh winner this season.
Reyan Lewis celebrates on chance ride
Five-year-old bay mare Celebration, after three-consecutive second-place finishes, went one better with a come-from-behind win in a native-bred five-year-old and upwards Restricted Allowance V (NW2) event travelling down the five-straight (1000-m) course.
Ridden by Reyan Lewis, who replaced the injured Oshane Nugent in the saddle, the Ian Parsard-trained Celebration sat behind the speedy Casual Charm (Dane Dawkins) for most of the way. Coming across the dummy rails, Casual Charm began to shorten and Celebration was produced strongly on the outside of rivals and blew by rivals.
Celebration (Liquidity – All For Pleasure) won by three lengths in a time of 1:02.0. Faulyna Forever was also in the late hunt and got up in time for second money ahead of Casual Charm in the third spot.
Battle Dancer in the nick of time
Battle Dancer, assisted by a well-timed ride from apprentice Youville Pinnock, got up in the nick of time to nip Let Him Fly on the line to win a four-year-old and upward Restricted Allowance contest event at one mile (1,600m).
Pinnock, who had replaced the injured Oshane Nugent in the saddle, held Battle Dancer off the pace as Let Him Fly (Dick Cardenas) and Awesome Boy (Reyan Lewis) set the early fractions. Thundering down the backstretch, Battle Dancer made little improvement but began to pick up at the half-mile (800m) turn when Let Him Fly opened on the field.
Let Him Fly carried Dejae’s Boy (Anthony Thomas) into the lane, but Pinnock got Battle Dancer rolling with Awesome Treasure (Dane Nelson) and the war for control then developed. After a tight stretch duel, Battle Dancer came with a strong run on the inside of runners for the win ahead of Let Him Fly. Awesome Treasure finished in third place as the final time was recorded at 1:40.4.
Battle Dancer is a four-year-old grey colt by American Dance - Queen of Battle and is owned by 2 Penyu and trained by Philip Feanny.
Four horses claimed
Four horses were claimed on the 10-race programme.
Victor Williams claimed Special Prosecutor for owner Andre Adams for $180,000 from Patrick Fong from the fourth race.
In the sixth race, Arnold Rambally Jr claimed Fearless Treblav for himself from Ryan Darby, Lawrence Freemantle claimed Lady Budget for owner Soldier Camp from Michael Beecham and Gary Crawford claimed Bay Commander for owner M & S Syndicate from Dennis Pryce. All horses in the sixth event went for $250,000 each.
