Sugar Mike shows who is champ

SUGAR MIKE once again showed his undoubted class in easily disposing of four rivals in winning the feature Stakes And Lower Handicap on the Arima Race Club Day 20 programme at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, in record time yesterday. Humping the welter burden of 60.5 kilos for a third time, champion jockey Brian Harding had the American-bred colt tucked in just behind leader Top Of The Class and Dottie’s Way for the first half of the 1750 metres journey. Bertwin Samlalsingh’s 2003 Horse of the Year then ranged up alongside the triple crown winner 800 metres out, just when Dottie’s Way began to fall away.

Invincibility cruised up alongside threateningly with 300 metres to go, but when Harding asked his mount to go on, he accelerated with the authority of a champion to score by an emphatic three lengths to avenge his defeat by his stablemate in the Santa Rosa Dash a month ago. His time of 1:48.18 seconds obliterated the 11-year-old mark set by Da Vinci and equalled last year by Carnival Messiah of 1:49 seconds. In the sub-feature Starter Allowance race over 1350 metres, a clever ride by apprentice Gary Laban landed Man Of Class a half-length winner over the favoured Tactical Bid. Laban kicked for home 500 metres out, just when Tactical Bid began to motor, and although he was being swallowed up rapidly, managed to reach the line. It was a memorable day for young rider Jody Arneaud who landed three winners on the day’s 10-race card including Hatrick, who rewarded backers with a tote dividend of $24.50 and $8.40.

And he also booted home Golden Honour for a tote payout of $12.80 and $3.00.  His other winner was Dealer’s Choice in the opener. Only John O’Brien among the trainers managed to saddle more than one winner, with recently acquired duo The Chairman and Lovely Pearl. Favourites, in the main obliged, and coupled with the small fields made dividends very moderate except in two cases. The superfecta dividend of $6,618.30 returned in the final race on the Renaissance Man, Champagne Wager, Life In Russia Hundred Percent combination was best of the day by a long way. Racing takes a one-week break this weekend before returning on July 24.