Record crowd attends Boxing Day races

EQUINE stars are what is required to bring back turfites to the fold of local racing. This was evident on Boxing Day when a fantastic crowd turned out to see the 11-race programme, moreso the clash between Top Of The Class and Sugar Mike, in the Guardian Gold Cup. The hype surrounding the first match-up of these two superstars of racing this season was definitely responsible for the record attendance. And while they may have expected the fight to be closer, with a possible stretch duel between both Horse of the Year candidates, they left satisfied that both had given their best showing in the 2000 metres feature race on the Guardian Holdings Limited-sponsored programme.

Turfites may have slept with the Gold Cup battle on their minds for weeks, and as though wanting not to miss what they hoped would be an epic battle, booked their seats early on both levels of the Grand Stand from the first race. Punters who in their search for winners used the betting odds as a guide, got off to a flying start when Nobel Abrego produced Fresh Mandate up the straight to score cheekily in the opener. the feeling of spotting winners is as easy as kissing hands, came soon after when visiting veteran English jockey George Duffield, with a patient ride aboard Due Dilligence, produced the bay son of freshly Squeezed/Cabaret with a storming run in the final stages to swallow up longtime leader Phenomenon close home, to give ex-champion trainer John O’Brien an early double. But they came to grief in the next race, when they found out a good start and luck were not the most important ingredients for success. Twice Infallible failed to carry the sequence of fancied runners further. Apprentice Joshua Stephen who turned 18 on Friday, spoilt his birthday gift by leaving the boxes a trifle slowly aboard the favourite.

And the inexperience of the youngster was borne out, despite his enormous promise. Stephen (J) quickly made up the lost ground with the Grant Lourenco-trained juvenile, and took him to the head of proceedings, but had nothing in reserve and was found wanting up the straight, when Fortunate Flag pounced. Mandela came from off the pace with a well-timed run under Anthony Stephen to swoop past a hard ridden Squee Zintru to bank the spoils in the Guardian General $20,000 Optional Claimer. Champion jockey Brian Harding raced into the lead with Fantastic Story from the off and kept the Wendell Kangaloo-owned chestnut colt up to his work for a convincing victory at odds of 4/1 next race. In that 1200-metres event, fourth placed finisher Tazumi, ridden by apprentice Gary Laban, left a true course and bore down on George Duffield and Gray Warrior on the rails, and was disqualified. A mishap followed in the Legacy Optional Claimer, when well-fancied Foucault Pendulum who looked a winner after opening up a two-length advantage leaving the top turn, broke down and was eased by his rider.

The American-bred five-year-old who suffered a broken leg, was later euthanised. The race was eventually won by Alibi Ike, who slipped through a gap late, and held off a fast finishing Soca Tempo, with the proverbial  blanket covering the next four runners. Favourites began picking up the tabs again when The Chairman, who lost a shoe during his race, held on to win from Renaissance Man and Green Light. But the stunner of the day came in the first of the “big races” when Trini To D Bone scored, coming from the back of the pack to deny the Ganesh Lal- trained Dealer’s Choice close home in the Guardian Life St Anns Stakes for fillies. French Academy who was installed favourite refused to enter the starting stalls and had to be withdrawn.

This filly’s withdrawal cost the Arima Race Club a tidy sum, and possible a record handle, as $73,000 in bets on  the once raced juvenile had to be refunded. Salsa Moves then gave favourite backers of Pave the Way a big scare in the St James Stakes, when the speedy son of Java In Style/Meringue set a merry gallop out front, but weakened up the stretch and was passed by Pave The Way and a fast-finishing Mucho Tempo. Sugar Mike proved he is in a class of his own when he came out of a pocket in the back stretch and motored behind Top Of The Class before going past to win the day’s feature Guardian Gold Cup by five lengths, to keep his winning sequence on the main course intact. New Star closed the season on a winning note for owner/trainer Harold Chadee and Nobel Abrego, when the recently claimed son of Freshly Squeezed/Azara burst through the pack to go on to win the Lifestyle Optional Claiming $14,000 extended sprint.