KINGSTON, Jamaica - Sparkle Diamond delivered a welcomed Christmas present to owners Ven Deezle by winning the three-year-old and upward Non-Restricted Overnight Allowance top-rated event on Sunday, December 13 at Caymanas Park.
The imported four-year-old chestnut colt, by Include- Myntz Connection by Candy Ride, ridden by leading rider Anthony Thomas, recovered well from an off-the-mark entanglement, then coupled up readily before settling down to draw off with a forthright attack leaving the half-mile marker to outdistance nearest rival Chase The Great narrowly by three parts of a length, as the 4-5 favourite in a time of 1:04.4. When last at the races in August, Sparkle Diamond was a beaten favourite.
Notwithstanding, he appeared for his December 13 outing looking as fit as hands could make him and, being at home in the present company of the 13-horse field, he duly obliged with a winning effort.
Trained by Errol Waugh, Sparkle Diamond was winning for the fourth time from seven starts on local soil and while has shown talent, he is not always the soundest of horses, but meticulously readied him for his second dash over 1100 metres.
“To get him ready for today’s (Saturday’s) race we had to do a lot of work to bring him here. We knew that he would have been a little fussy in the gates but once he settled, he would have been alright for the race. It was a nice performance one that was pleasing considering the work we put out in getting him well tuned for the race.
“From here on our expectation is to keep developing him into becoming the best horse in the country. I was very confident. He got hindered at the gates but recovered nicely leaving the half-mile and from then on I knew that we have the race won,” Waugh assured.
