KINGSTON, Jamaica - The featured 1,820-metre Kenneth Mattis O D Memorial Trophy went predictably to 2021 dual Classic winner Calculus (Jamaica Derby and St Leger), trained Gary Subratie.
In his post-race interview jockey, Shane Ellis admitted it was a simple task to get him running early and then relaxing mid-race before heading for home. Significantly, 2018 St Leger winner Marquesas, less than three lengths behind Calculus, seemingly still has enough ability to be competitive at this Overnight Allowance
The opening event run over 1,200 metres saw the continuation of the form of 2019 champion reinsman Christopher Mamdeen as he brought Sir Puddington (9-2) from tracking the front-runners 600 metres out to lead inside the last 200 for trainer Junior Panton to win his first from 11 states this season.
Having ridden Lala Diva (2-1) to victory for trainer Nicholas Smith in the 1,000-metre round second event, Mamdeen for his riding double got the benefit of a majority decision following a lengthy Stewards Inquiry. Mamdeen, deploying his whip left-handed from 150 metres out, was responsible for two occasions when Lala Diva came off a true line and got very close to Special Counsel ridden by Tevin Foster, who lodged an objection allegedly for inference and intimidation.
The sigh of relief from backers of the “first-past-the-post” was palpably audible when the “no change to the order of finish” announcement was intoned by track announcer Brian Rickman. Lala Diva seemingly won on merit by three parts of a length but there was enough in Foster’s allegation to justify the length of the deliberations by the Operation Stewards on duty.
Trained by Jason DaCosta and ridden by champion Anthony Thomas, Breaking Storm (1-9) won the 1,000 metres round third event by 10 ½ lengths. Whilst in the 1,000-metre straight fourth race former six-time champion Omar Walker, the winning rider over the trip since the retirement of Charles Hussey, guided breeder/owner/trainer Lorenzo Robinson’s Sniper Man (8-5) to victory.
An especially heavy shower of rain delayed the start of race five and changed the underfoot conditions to sloppy officially. Incidentally, the officials sent the runners out when there were heavy flashes of lightning around although the rain had subsided. In the future it must be recognised that exposure to a lightning strike is exacerbated significantly as jockeys seated on their mounts are higher than ground level and bridles are made of metal. There was no incident but just as officials in other outdoor sports observe the protocol of taking players off the field in this circumstance, there should be no difference.
There was very little doubt the unaccustomed underfoot conditions either led to sudden return or improvement in form of four-five largely unfancied runners who won. Race five, run on the 1,000-metre straight course, was won by 41-1 outsider Awesome Choice ridden by Jordan Barrett for trainer Steven Todd. This was followed by 55-1 shot Tocatbetheglory (Nicholas Hibbert) saddled owner/breeder/trainer Carl Anderson winning race six over 1,500 metres.
In the final races what unfolded was trivial racing history with champion conditioner Anthony Nunes saddling the last three of the 10 winners at a combined odds of 56/1 odds. Race eight over 1,300 metres went to Howilooklin (37/1) ridden by Tevin Foster for the first of his double. Half an hour later Foster returned the winners’ enclosure with El Cid (11/1) over 1,300 metres in the ninth.
Incidentally, favourites Ha Gow Siu Mei (4-5) and Nefertari (7-5) were saddled by Nunes in races eight and nine, respectively, but on the day, simply were not as good as their stablemates. To cap the Nunes blitz, infrequently engaged claiming jockey Carlos Blake rode his first winner this year from only a total of 13 opportunities with maiden colt Jungle Boogie scoring at odds of 8-1 over 1,100 metres.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Nunes for the performance of Howilookin in winning immediately and indeed comfortably on eligibility for non-winners of two races. However, El Cid delivered the Best Winning Gallop in running under pressure throughout the 1,300 metres of his event to win aided by the riding skills of Foster to earn the improving reinsman yet another Jockeyship Award.
