‘Song’ breaks free in feature

SONG OF Freedom left nothing for dispute yesterday by making all the running to win the Starter’s Allowance Feature on the Arima Race Club Day 10 card.

Last race day he was promoted to the winners’ slot after finishing as the runner-up to Sugar Mike, only to be placed back to his original position on an appeal to the Trinidad and Tobago Racing Authority,. The Grant Lourenco-trained four-year-old broke fast out the gates with Gold Master and the two had the race to themselves when they opened an early three-length gap on the field. The pair maintained the fast clip throughout and was only separated from the corner where Song of Freedom began to show his power, edging away up the stretch to win by three lengths.

Fortunate Flag, who was among the second bunch with Honour Bound, finished with determination to snatch third from Honour Bound. Earlier on, Isle Be There, who has been a big disappointment having failed to deliver the goods in six starts, came good yesterday, turning in his maiden certificate against a poor bunch of maidens over 1,750 metres. The gelding son of Kdanzc jumped smartly and was tucked in behind pacesetters Hyarima and Fire Storm for most of the race. He was asked to take closer orders from the 600-metre marker where he raced to cover a two-length advantage to join Fire Storm at the top turn. He then applied the pressure up the stretch to assume authority at the last 200 metres to come home by three-part of a length from Fire Storm in the pedestrian time of one minute 58.95 seconds. My Aphrodite, who was an early back-marker, raced up to have every chance at the corner but ran on at one pace up the stretch to deny Undisputed for third.

Maid of Honour could be definitely the most improved horse in the local circuit. The John O’Brien owned and trained filly, after knocking on the doors in her last three starts, banked the spoils in the Starter’s Allowance event. She won with some authority from Mandela and Carnival Messiah, who was against Scent Off as favourite. Messiah, who was a back-marker early, seemed to have no chance at the mid-way stage, but raced up on the rail from halfway to snatch third on the line from Kaser’s Gold, who weakened after making all the running. John O’Brien was the top trainer on the day with three wins —- Squee Zintru, Isle Be There and Maid of Honour. Nobel Abrego was the day’s best rider, piloting two of the winners Squee Zintru and Isle Be Three.