Jamaica Derby Race Day Review

Derby Day 2023 was undoubtedly another memorable one for perennial top-10 practitioner Patrick Tyrone Lynch with another success in 2,400-metre Jamaica Derby run as the 10th of 11 races.

The jockey-turned-trainer established himself in the top echelons of the profession with his first success in the Premier Classic in 2007 saddling The Bomber and had the smarts to declare Winston Griffith, a rider with 10 previous victories in this Classic.

Known as "Wacky" by all, always conspicuous with an ever-present cap his favourite headgear, Lynch posted his second in 2018 when Drone Strike was a winning mount for Aaron Chatrie. For the 2023 success, he made yet another shrewd declaration of rider in Allen Maragh, who won the Derby aboard Miracle Man back in 2005.

Following his inexplicably uncompetitive effort when he finished 30 lengths eighth in the 2,000-metre St Leger, Mojito was second favourite at 6-5 behind Thalita (4-5), the heroine of that Classic.

Chased by Huntsman and Thalita, Mojito led for 2,000 metres and failed to see out the trip. Maragh sat motionless off the pace aboard Ability (17-1) for 1,800 metres before making the decisive sharp move to take control at the top of the home stretch. Thalita faded to be fifth, Mojito fourth, Secret Admiral (95-1) third with St Leger runner-up Money Miser (4-1) three and a half second to the superior staying power of Ability.

Leading reinsman Reyan Lewis won the opener over 1,100 metres with Milkman (4-5) for trainer Paul Hylton, the second over 1,400 metres aboard Jason DaCosta's Richie Rich (2-5) and the Robert French-conditioned Ultimate Machine (4-5) in the 1,200-metre third.

Prior to his success in the Derby, Lynch posted 19-1 shot Legal Bomb ridden by two-kilogramme claimer Ramon Nepare in race four contested over 1,100 metres.

Race five, run at 1,200 metres, provided an absolute runaway for Robert Pearson's Rani Bangala, who was 16 ½ lengths better than her nearest rival for champion Dane Dawkins' first of two on the card. At the end of the day's seventh which was the 1,820 metres Legal Light, Dawkins returned to the winners' enclosure with Gary Subratie's 2022 Derby heroine and Horse-of-the-Year Atomica (1-9). This was Dawkins' 50th winner of the season but leaves him 17 wins behind Lewis.

Racing for the third occasion, Fitzgerald Richards' maiden sprinter Uncle Nub made all, but only just held on to reward his backers at odds of 4-1 in the 1,000-metre straight sixth event. Raddesh Roman was the replacement for injured Tevin Foster, who was involved in a spill earlier.

Roman added a second in the 1,400-metre ninth guiding the 2-1 shot to Baton Rouge to a front running triumph for conditioner Ricardo Brown.

In race nine veteran reinsman Paul Francis induced inconsistent speedster Generational to outsprint rivals over 1,000 metres round at 5-1 for trainer Rowan Mathie. While in the closing event US-bred Uncaptured Empress, trained by Peter McMaster, released her maiden tag over 1,400 metres with former six-time champion jockey Omar Walker scoring his 13th win from 97 mounts this year.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Patrick Lynch for the performance Ability, whose first and second victories came over 1,200 metres. The colt was up front early but was eventually beaten 17 lengths to be third in the 2000 Guineas. Here Ability performed in a manner to suggest he may not be a stayer. However, Lynch bypassed the St Leger and was thorough in his preparation of Ability to allow him to deliver the Best Winning Gallop. Allen Maragh's supremely confident judgement of pace earns him the card's Jockeyship Award.

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