Steven Todd, Gary Subratie, Dane Dawkins, Matthew Bennett shine
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Three events, the traditional New Year’s Day, the Fan Appreciation Day and the McKay Security Sprint trophies, shared the spotlight on opening day of the 2022 racing year in Jamaica. Interestingly, the three winners had combined victory margins totalling 26½ lengths and none was the most-fancied in their respective events.
Scheduled as the tenth and closing event, the 1,300-metre New Year’s Day was won in impressive style by the Edward Stanberry-conditioned, hard-knocking filly Sweet Majesty. In pursuit of 8/5 shot Baton Rouge (Phillip Parchment) to the distance, pilot Paul Francis requested the finishing speed of Sweet Majesty and got the requisite response as she accelerated with immediacy, going clear to score by seven lengths at odds of 2/1.
Half an hour earlier, it was the culmination of double success for Gary Subratie and his favourite reinsman Dane Dawkins in winning the 1,820-metre New Year’s Day. Awesome Treasure, running in the colours of owner Trevor James’ Success Farms, had her field in trouble from as early as 1400 metres away from the finish.
Awesome Treasure — a US-bred five-year-old mare — starting at odds of 2/1, outstayed by 10 lengths the even money favourite and stablemate Supreme Soul (Shane Ellis) — the 2019 Triple Crown hero. The Subratie/Dawkins trainer/jockey partnership had the first of their two successes in winning the day’s third event, with Traditional Boy (9/5) surrendering his maiden status on his 21st attempt.
Third-generation trainer Steven Todd could hardly have had a more successful start to his 2022 campaign. The 9½-length runaway in the 1000-metre straight gallop by 2/1-backed Chief Of State (Robert Halledeen) in the McKay Security Sprint was only the second of his three successes on the card.
For Todd’s first, it was victory by favourite Awesome Rich (Roger Hewitt) in the 1,000-metre-straight fifth event. Claimed eight days earlier by Todd, General Mubaraak, ridden by apprentice Matthew Bennet at odds of 15/1, won the seventh event run over 1820 metres. It was also the closing of a riding double for Bennet as he was aboard Colin Ferguson’s 4/5 favourite Kholbear in the day’s second contested over 1400 metres.
The opening event over 1100 metres was won by Peking Cruz, ridden by Tevin Foster, to register a three-length victory margin for shrewd conditioner Gregory Forsyth who, with his successful claims, saddled 19 winners from 98 declarations, including 15 second-place and eight third-place finishes, last season.
Apprentice Jordan Barrett, riding Smoke Haze (2/1) in the fourth for trainer Donovan Plummer, outsprinted nearest rival Cup Cake (Oniel Mullings) by over five lengths.
Following Steven Todd’s blitz in races five to seven, then came the turn of Robert Pearson, who declared Samantha Fletcher as partner to improving sprinter Will The Conqueror in the eighth event. Sent off at 7/1, the four-year-old grey gelding sprinted from in front of a strong field to win the 1000-metre round dash by a length and a half.
Trainer Robert Pearson is presented with the Training Feat Award for the Best Winning Gallop of Will The Conqueror who, on promotion to non-winners of three races level, scored at the first attempt. For her performance in a very competitive event, Fletcher is the recipient of the Jockeyship Award for her execution of what was an exacting task.
