A graduate of the Jamaica Racing Commission class of 2023, Oral Hayden ends a first season that even his most optimistic of dreams and ambitions must now be beyond his realistic expectation.
On this the final day of the season he saddled his own Unruly Dude (8-1) to score in the opening event over 1100 metres. Guided by Javaneil Patterson the four-year-old bay colt was last but one 1000 metres out but proved the strongest finisher to claim a late triumph by an advantage of three parts of a length.
At the end of race four, Hayden was back in the winners’ enclosure in the similar capacity of owner/trainer of Unruly Boss (3-1). Ridden by the colourful reinsman Phillip Parchment for the opener of a riding double, the five-year-old chestnut horse was well in control of the gallop of 1000 metres straight to be four and half lengths clear of his nearest rival at the winning post.
Hayden ends the season as the winningest 2023 licensee with 15 successes from 70 starts five seconds and nine thirds to better fellow class member Peter-John Parsard’s 11, seven and seven.
Ridden by outgoing champion Dane Dawkins, American-bred juvenile Princess Amahle (1-9) cantered in over 15 lengths ahead five age-group rivals for trainer Dalton Sirjue claim his fifth win of the season from 15 declarations.
Speaking of champions, 2019 titlist Christopher Mamdeen was certainly in form for a double as trainer Colin Ferguson’s Jon P (4-5) won the day’s 1000-metre straight third by nearly five lengths.
Mamdeen’s second came in the form of Norblar (2-1) by controlling the pace of the 1500-metre seventh event to score by five and a half lengths for trainer Gresford Smith.
This race was the first of the divided feature Vestia Trophy. Division II, staged as the ninth, was won easily from in front by Divine Force (USA) ridden by Tevin Foster.
Trained by Philip Feanny and bet at 1-2, the three-year-old American-bred colt near seven-length romp was not surprising and he will certainly be winning at least at the Overnight Allowance level next season.
Two-kilogramme claiming jockey Samantha Fletcher, riding maiden filly Ava’s Sunshine (4-1) for owner/trainer Norman Smith, came home nearly four lengths ahead of the closest pursuer in the afternoon’s fifth contested over 1000 metres straight.
Jordan Barrett, another two-kilogramme claimer, rode trainer Patrick Lynch’s Sugar Daddy (3-2), first of a double for his stable, from in front to justify favouritism in the 1200-metre eighth event.
The trainer/jockey of Lynch and Parchment each confirmed their double success in tandem as California Gold (9-5) bested eight rivals in the 1100-metre tenth and closing event.
