Look for more ‘Friday Evening Limes’

THE “Friday Evening Lime” card which hosted the West Indies and Australian cricketing teams proved a major success for the Arima Race Club.

The seven-race programme saw a big crowd in attendance, much better than the two previous promotions of its kind, held at the centralised racing facility in 1998 and 1999. And the crowd did not only come out to support the bars and listen to the misic that filled the air between races. They also wagered heavily at the windows, forking out $680,000 on the local  and simulcast races to better the previous handles of similar Limes. Persad Rooplal, chief executive officer of the ARC was pleased with the organisation of the day and happy for the show of support. “The response was fabulous,” he said. Based on what was seen, Rooplal promised to a look at the racing calendar with the hope of staging another “lime” in the near future. “If it turns out to be another success then it may become a fixture every two months,” he promised.

Yankee Eagle got backers of outsiders off to a bright start when the American-bred nine-year-old who was thought to have seen his best days, snatching the Adam Gilchrist Optional Claiming event from favourite Indian Rhapsody close to home. And when  the calypso music died down after the opener, Loud Music, who turned in his maiden certificate last week chimed in for a back-to-back success in the Ramnaresh Sarwan Handicap. Isle Be True who also scored on last week’s card made every yard a winning one in the Ricky Ponting Restricted Handicap, the first of co-features on the well supported card. After the lead in, members of both the West Indies and Australian teams came down from the members stands to sign autographs for fans.

The name Brian Lara has been associated with records in the past, and the main event carrying the tag of the West Indian cricket captain on Friday, was no different. Song Of Freedom sent off as second favourite, broke on top in the 1100 metres dash and was never headed, posting 1:03.54 seconds for his run to erase Sea Spider’s record of 1:03.64 set on March 15. Naturelly Classy who got a cut in his face in the parade ring was allowed the use of a shield by the stewards, a piece of equipment not declared before. The son of Freshly Squeezed, drawn widest in the 16-horse field got a flyer and maintained a steady gallop to stay ahead in Glenn McGrath maiden event at the end. Joint Venture with a well-timed run under Wilmer Galviz denied V For Victory in the Vasbert Drakes Optional by a whisker, before the Anthony Serville-trained Bajan Connection under a similar ride by Galviz got up in the last stride to take the honours away from Balthazar.