Staged as the ninth on the ten-race card, the second renewal of the 1900-metre Winston “Fanna Griffiths OD Classic was won in runaway fashion by Essential Quality (30-1) owned and trained by 2023 licensee Oral Hayden for his first Graded Stakes success.
The much-improved filly had her field in trouble from as early as 1300 metres from the finish and thoroughly outstayed her nearest pursuer by nine lengths.
Promising reinsman, Matthew Bennett was at his best in guiding home Ryan Darby’s three-year old maiden filly May Sellington (2-1) in the opening 1000-metres opening event on the round course.
Engaged in a lock step duel from the top of the stretch with 2-5 favourite James, ridden by former six-time champion Omar Walker, both horses exchanged the lead twice inside the last 200 metres, before Bennett’s superior skill set on the day got May Sellington home by a half a length.
It was Bennett’s 60th career win and this means his status as a two-kilogramme claiming jockey has expired. The question that now arises is if he will continue to enjoy the support of the many trainers who made use of the weight advantage.
Over the more than six decades of operations at Caymanas there have been scores of “hot apprentice jockeys”, some riding currently, whose supply chain of winners ceased almost with immediate effect once their weight-claim ended. Bennett may be more fortunate but that’s left to be seen.
In a field of five contesting the 1600-metre second race, recent winner Jack of Spades’ burst of finishing from off the early pace got him home once again. Starting at odds of 12-1, the four-year-old dark-bay colt, conditioned by Michael Marlowe, responded to the patience and timing of Tevin Foster’s execution in the saddle to score by three parts of a length.
The form players were spared consecutive 12-1 upset winners in race three contested over 1000 metres round. Ridden by thee-kilogramme claimer Nicholas Hibbert, Casual Affair’s sudden return to winning ways by a length and a half over Magical Mood (9-5) was thwarted by an inevitable disqualification.
At the 300-metre point, Casual Affair in challenging for the lead drifted left and into the path of Steven Todd’s Magical Mood partnered by Phillip Parchment, whose response in altering course convinced the Operation Stewards to reverse the placings. This handed the popular reinsman the first of a riding double. The second for Parchment came aboard Traditional Boy (7-1) for trainer Gordon Lewis in race six run at 1300 metres.
Presented with a gift at the weights, with inferior rivals at a significant disadvantage, Sensational Satin (3-5) saddled by Byron Davis and piloted by Reyan Lewis, was over seven lengths in front at the end of the 1000-metre straight gallop of race four for the rider’s first of two successes.
The top rider in the current season, Lewis picked up his second in partnering Lion of Ekati (USA) to win race eight with leading trainer Jason DaCosta’s charge arriving in the final stride for victory by a short head.
Nine-year-old claimer Sunshine Cat (2-1) has now won for four different trainers consecutively including this time for recently licensed conditioner Peter-John Parsard to saddle the first of a stable double. The winner was guided by Oniel Mullings over the 1500 metres of race seven.
The in-form mare’s victory coincided with the presence of SVREL guests Jamaica’s Senior Netball Team, the Sunshine Girls, whose celebration was indicative of how thoroughly they enjoyed a winning flutter.
Pasard’s double success was confirmed with even money favourite Rojorn Di Pilot scoring in the nightcap with former six-time champion Omar Walker executing the riding honours over the straight 1000 metres course. Given the horses he will be working with, going forward this third-generation conditioner, over time, is likely to emerge as the most successful of the 38 recent licensees.
