The Analysis For Race Day Of Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Always Vigorous - Jordan Barrett
Always Vigorous - Jordan Barrett

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Four-year-old colt Emperorofthecats (9-2), ridden by three-kilogramme claimer Shavon Townsend and bred/owned/trained by Carl Anderson, was a three-length winner of the renewal of the traditional 1,300-metre Ash Wednesday Trophy run as the final of nine races.

The four-year-old colt racing from gate one established an early advantage. This was achieved too easily for the liking of his nine rivals which had their riders working overtime to stay in touch, but it was a case of vain pursuit throughout for all.

Run over the 1,000-metre straight course, the opening event of nine was won by 4-5 favourite Contractor ridden by three-kilogramme claimer Romario Spencer. This was the commencement of a good day for second-generation trainer Ryan Darby as he returned to the winners’ enclosure following the running of the race six.

When Darby saddled Delay of Game for an engagement on last Boxing Day the odds against colt’s success was 35-1. Ridden then by Matthew Bennett, a two-kilogramme claimer, in a game front-running effort, there was a repeat in the offing over the identical distance. Today the starting price was 56-1 and there must have been a sense of deja vu for trainer and jockey as four-year-old progeny of Bridled Quest led and won although under pressure for the entirety of the 1,600-metre gallop.

Two-kilogramme claiming rider Samantha Fletcher expended very little effort to claim first prize in race two. Run over the 1,000 metres of straight surface, interestingly named Gone A Negril (2-1) cantered in by nearly 12 lengths for conditioner Patrick Lynch’s sixth winner this year.

Raddesh Roman (Pro Johnny) and Tevin Foster (Six Avenue), with had an exciting matching of riding skills in a sustained stretch, duel over the 1,400 metres of race three. The former prevailed at 2-1 by three parts of length over the latter for owner/trainer Gary Crawford to open his seasonal account.

Former three-time champion conditioner Anthony Nunes was in the winners’ enclosure for the eighth occasion this season with Linton Steadman, having only his second mount of the season, executing the requisite jockeyship skill set to get Curlin’s Noon (4-1) to eke out victory by neck. At the end of the 1,300-metre fourth event for maiden three year olds, third past the post Mo Aviator was disqualified from third for intimidation and interference to fourth place Burning Valor.

In race five, over 1,820 metres, Reyan Lewis rode the first of two winners on the day with former 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny’s Babylike scoring at odds of 5-1. “Action Pack”, the name assigned to Lewis by the track announcers, confirmed his double success with last season’s champion juvenile filly Mamma Mia (1-5) saddled by champion Jason DaCosta winning the 1,300-metre seventh event by five and a half lengths.

Turned out in invincible condition at the weights, race eight was decided by a win margin of six and a half lengths as five-year-old mare Always Vigorous (11-1), with two-kilo claiming jockey Jordan Barrett doing the honours for conditioner Rowan Mathie, charge to go clear in the final 200 metres.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Ryan Darby with the Best Winning Gallop displayed by his Delay The Game in terms of speed, stamina and gameness. Roman (Pro Johnny), Steadman (Curlin’s Noon) and Lewis (Babylike) were considered but the Jockeyship Award goes to Bennett (Delay of Game) for a performance that required athletic ability, judgement of pace and determination.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *