Saturday, November 18, 2023

As we rush toward December 2, 2023, the first Saturday of the month, the promotion of the US$150,000, 1,600-metre Mouttet Mile continues apace but the line-up will have a notable absentee in Desert Of Malibu (USA). It was not possible for her to meet the eligibility earning threshold but conditioner Gary Subratie confirmed she would race over 1300 metres on the day.

The impressively conformed chestnut filly is undefeated in four starts locally. In doing so, she posted impressive times without being off the bridle for any length of time and is now rated by the Jamaica Observer Complete Racing Guide to be only 2.0 kilogrammes inferior to top handicap sprinter Mahogany, and 1.0 kilo ahead of Runaway Algo (USA).

The opening event on today's card saw trainer Byron Davis posting eight-year-old chestnut mare A Seh Soup (Javaniel Patterson) in unbeatable condition for a near seven-length romp over the 1000-metre round course at odds of 9-5.

Two-kilogramme claiming jockey Jordan Barrett steered 5-1 shot Wilson, declared by Ryan Williams, to score by just over three lengths in race two over 1000 metres round.

Barrett only had a wait of half an hour to enjoy double success as 1-2 favourite My Smokey, saddled by Donovan Plummer, won the 800-metre straight sprint of race three by seven lengths.

Starting at odds of 2-1 in race four run at 1100 metres, Just An Illusion, saddled by Errol Waugh, continued the afternoon's pattern of clear sprint race winners with Raddesh Roman executing the riding honours effortlessly for a conservative seven-length romp on the sloppy surface.

The eight rivals of Muzzo (2-1) in the 1000-metre straight fifth event fared no better than the runners-up in the four races prior. Ridden by leading reinsman Reyan Lewis for conditioner Spencer Chung, the lightly raced four-year-old bay colt was just short of being six lengths clear at the finish.

Muzzo, whose dam is the great champion St Cecelia, made his debut in June 2022, had one win in seven previous appearances, and was the first of Lewis' s hree winners on the 10-race card. The rider's second was confirmed in race seven, with Lawrence Freemantle's Justin Biden (3-5) controlling the pace of the 1600-metre gallop to score by nine lengths.

In race six over 1000 metres straight, first-season conditioner Peter-John Parsard saddled his 11th winner from 42 starts, with former six-time champion Omar Walker partnering 8-5 favourite Bernard De Quik to a nose advantage over 44-1 shot Superio, ridden by four-kilogramme claimer Calvin Bailey.

It was a return to the spectacle of another wide-margin winner when Michael Marlowe schooled maiden Always Wright (Jerome Innis), registering a nine-and-half-length triumph as the 7-5 favourite of the 1500-metre eighth event. Marlowe, a second-generation trainer, has now won nine races from 156 declarations this season. Speaking of maiden success, victory in the 1000-metre-straight race 10 by English Ann (8-5) was the first of the season for trainer Welsh Soutar (13 starts) as well as jockey Odeen Edwards (28 rides).

Featured on the programme and run as race nine was another renewal of the 1820-metre United Racehorse Trainers Association Trophy. Bred, owned, and trained by Fitzroy Glispie, Money Miser (6-5), the 2023 Triple Crown (Guineas, St. Leger. Derby) runner-up, duly outstayed his seven rivals by three lengths.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Peter-John Parsard for the performance of Bernard De Quik, one that is obviously difficult to condition, having only his third career, but which ran gamely to execute the Best Winning Gallop under the skilful persuasion of Omar Walker, which earns the former champion the Jockeyship Award.

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