Easy does it for Man Of Class

MAN OF CLASS ridden confidently by champion jockey Rajpaul Rajkumar, easily won the feature Handicap 1 & Lower event over 1300 metres, on Day 11 of the Arima Race Club season at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday.

Quickly into stride, the bay gelding was settled in third after 200 metres while stablemate Smooth Operator cut the fractions tracked by Punto A Punto. Rajkumar scrubbed Man Of Class into the lead with 800 metres left in the $29,000 race, and it was all over bar the shouting thereafter, as Punto A Punto kept plugging away pluckily to keep second ahead of third placed Mandela.

Three-year-old Upset All was withdrawn, after throwing her rider Gary Laban on the way to the start.  The young apprentice had to be taken off the track by ambulance. Another apprentice, Richard Mangalee must wait for another day to chalk up his first career victory. He guided former Derby winner Groomsman to a neck victory over Joint Venture in the Optional Claiming event for conditional jockeys, but following an objection the stewards altered the placings. Rajkumar was the star in the saddle landing two winners, both for Maniram “Boboy” Maharaj who led the trainers.

Hyarima was a shock winner of the 1350 metres for three-year-old maidens, and rewarded backers with a tote payoput of $237.50 and $4.00. And along with runner-up Classyt Kim, third Dare To Dream and Free Zone,  returned the biggest superfecta dividend of $531.70. Another upset winner was El Guerrouj in the day’s finale, with backers collecting $11.30 and $4.10.  The superfecta along with Balthazar, Scandal Sheet and Actual Lady paid $421.00. Next race day is Easter Monday (April 21), when the feature will be the Union Park Turf Club Easter Guineas for three-year-old horses over 1800 metres.