A triple for jockey Dane Nelson
KINGSTON, Jamaica - The Lloyd Lindberg “Lindy” Delapenha Memorial Trophy, an Overnight Allowance contest over 1,600 metres, was the feature on this 10-race Sunday programme. Delapenha, a former professional footballer at the highest level in England and an avid golfer, was also head of sports and a race caller on radio and TV at the now-defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation. He was later engaged by POWER 106 FM as a horse racing analyst, which was his final engagement as a sportscaster.
Run as the ninth event on the programme of ten races, seven reported to the starter with Gary Subratie posting odds-on favourite Crimson in addition to top-class, six-year-old, sparingly raced, money-spinner Sentient and aging pace-making sprinter Atlantic Blue. Top weight Hover Craft, now 12 years old, was at the post for Jason DaCosta and the most interesting entry 2019 Triple Crown hero Supreme Soul, having been retransferred from the Subratie yard back to the barn of Anthony Nunes who had schooled him for those Classics of three seasons past.
As the field travelled down the backstretch Supreme Soul (Tevin Foster) engaged the pacemaker and turned for home with the lead, but Crimson (3-5) with Dane Nelson, having his third winner on the card, outstayed Nunes’ charge by over three lengths. Sentient was another five lengths in arrears in third, and Hover Craft never looked likely to get on terms with the leaders and was only fourth.
Nelson’s first was over 1,600 metres of the second event with an eleven-length runaway by trainer Dennis Pryce’s Subbie, and his second was Classic aspirant Giant Wheeler across the 1,300 metres of the eighth event to seal two wins for Jason DaCosta.
Christopher Mamdeen was in double riding form, scoring in the 1,200-metre opener with David Powell’s Synchronize (5-1) for the trainer’s first of two winners on the day. Step In Faith (2-1), ridden by Youville Pinnock in race six over 1,200 metres, made it a great afternoon for Powell.
While Mamdeen’s second came in the form of an impressively conformed four-year-old maiden colt Pass The Booze (9/2), this son of Fearless Vision whipped around at the start of his second appearance, but in this his third was always in control for conditioner Donovan Russell to savour his first visit to the winners’ enclosure this season.
Eight-year-old Uncle Wal (Anthony Thomas) won the third over 1,200 metres in front-running style at odds of 9/2 to bring back memories of similar success when trained by the late Wayne DaCosta on October 12, 2019, which was 10 starts and two-and-a-half years ago, but trainer Dennis Thwaites takes the credit on this occasion.
Former champions Mamdeen and Nelson and current titlist Thomas won the first three races, and still there was another champion riding in the fourth. Jason DaCosta engaged the services of former great Trevor “Slicer” Simpson, whose record of 172 wins in a season is still unattainable, to partner Morse Code (8/1) in the 1,000-metre round event.
Speedster True Bravado (Dane Nelson) approaching the home straight and Simpson in relentless pursuit aboard Morse Code recognised the likelihood the front runner would leave a gap on the rails in the final part of the bend. What ensued was a memorable duel between the two jockeys as Nelson’s mount held the upper hand until close to home when the 54-year-old Simpson, displaying a lot of his well-chronicled athletic ability, got Morse Code to prevail by a head.
Javaniel Patterson rode Lala Diva (2-5) to victory in the seventh event for trainer Patrick Taylor to open his account in the 1000-metre round seventh. Vincent Atkinson became the fourth trainer on the day to avoid finishing the first quarter winless. Stomp The Rhythm (Shane Ellis), trained by Atkinson, controlled the big colt smoothly to land odds of 6/5 and looking capable of improving its form.
