Five-time champion reinsman Trevor “Slicer” Simpson, who holds the likely insurmountable record for the most wins (172) in a season and is now on his annual working vacation at home, gave glimpses of his past prowess.
Simpson, declared by second-generation trainer Lorne “Georgie” Kirlew to partner Daytona Belle, the latest acquisition (less than two weeks) for the stable, established an early decisive advantage and the filly eventually scored by just over a length in the day’s 1200-metre opener restricted to the fairer sex.
Half an hour later the promising chestnut Katalina trained by Gary Crawford won the second event. Bred by legendary track and field athletic Coach Glen Mills, the filly justified market confidence gamely. Ridden confidently on the lead by Javaniel Patterson, the good-bodied daughter of US stallion Ride On Curlin and imported in-foal-mare Alienate by Graeme Hall demonstrated a touch of stamina and scope for improvement in winning the 1500-metre Maiden Special Weight contest.
The third event was won by Silent Cat, ridden by Dane Nelson, to give conditioner Donovan Russell his first success of the season while the fourth went to Lady Carmen, trained by Nicholas Smith and ridden by Patterson, to give this in-form reinsman his second winner on the day and the seventh of the six-week-old season.
In the absence leading rider, apprentice Oshane Nugent, who had a riding accident the day before at exercise and had to be hospitalised, was replaced by Reyan Lewis to pilot the Ian Parsard-trained Celebration in the fifth.
The mare, which had four second-placed finishes in her last five races, ended the frustrations of her connections after being installed as the shortest priced favourite on the card at 1/5 with a two-length triumph in the 1000 metres straight event.
Chief Prospect won the sixth event for an 18th career success from 59 starts. The durable free-scoring 10-year-old was held off the early pace and worked his way to the lead entering the last 200 metres under the expert guidance of 2018 champion and leading 2020 jockey, Anthony Thomas, this pending the outcome of an appeal against the award of a win in an event last year to decide if he is the sole titlist or it will be shared with Dane Nelson on 83 wins each.
Apprentice Youville Pinnock also benefited from the absence of Nugent when trainer Philip Feanny decided that the promising young rider, having won on Battle Dancer last December, was the best replacement available.
Pinnock did an admirable job in the hugely competitive1600-metre seventh event to best three past champions, Dick Cardenas, Nelson and Thomas in a close finish.
Leading trainer Gary Subratie turned out The Success Farms’ Olde Wharf (Tevin Foster) in unbeatable condition to thoroughly outstay seven rivals by over four lengths in the 1820-metre eighth race.
The 1200-metre ninth was won by consistent five-year-old horse Raw Liquid (Roger Hewitt) for trainer Maurice Crooks to register his opening 2021 success.
The featured 2021 1300-metre Eileen Cliggott Memorial Trophy was won by top-rated handicapper Toona Ciliata ridden by four-kilo claiming jockey Romario Spencer for champion trainer Anthony Nunes.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Lorne Kirlew for the performance of Daytona Belle; a filly disinclined to hold the gallop in 13 prior starts for the past connections but was reformed in a matter of a few days in tits new environment. The Best Winning Gallop accolade is for Toona Ciliata’s narrow but decisive three parts of a length triumph in the feature.
Youville Pinnock takes his first Jockeyship Award for his quick thinking aboard Battle Dancer when he ceased the use of a right-handed whip just in time to avoid serious interference to fourth-place Dejae’s Boy in the seventh. The deliberation of the inquiring Operations Stewards was lengthy but the decision on the incident went in his favour as he recognised early the slight inward drift of his mount when it mattered.
