Superb Arneaud lands Sugar Mike in Stewards’ Cup

Always well-placed in the nine-horse field, Arneaud drove the six-year-old American-bred son of Ponce/No Sugar through a gap left on the rails by leader Miss Lover Lover and the "Horse of the Year" the past two years, and winner of the 1200 metres event in 2003 responded in his inimitable style to win by three-quarter length in a time of one minute 11.00 seconds in the race which carried a purse of $100,000.

Bold As Brass, an early favourite with turfites ran on well for second while Miss Lover Lover faded into third place in a race she finished runner-up last year and again the season previous.

Returning to the unsaddling enclosure, Sugar Mike was still full of himself and Arneaud had to jump off , while it took trainer Grant Lourenco, owner Bertwin "Mike" Samlalsingh and another to contain him.

Bright King won many more friends with a fluent seven-and-a-half length victory over the imported two-year-olds when taking the WMJX 100.5 Imported Juvenile Sprint Trophy over 1200 metres.

Jockey Wilmer Galviz had Harold Chadee’s speedster out of the starting stalls in a flash, and it was a matter of who will be second.

Apprentice Joshua Stephen booted home three winners on the day’s 10-race programme — Entertainer, Condoleeza and Traviata, to close the gap between himself and Galviz for the jockeys championship to one from three previously.

Young Bajan apprentice Christopher Husbands also had a grand day with three winning rides and one second.

But Stephen (J) took the WMJX 100.5 special prize of $1,000 as champion rider of the day, having a fourth placed finisher.

No trainer saddled more than one winner on the 10-race programme.

There were a few surprise winners yesterday, with Rhythm Divine rewarding backers with $22.50 and $3.70 on the tote, while Traviata paid $20.70 and $4.70.

Biggest superfecta of the day was paid on the combination of Sure Park, As Time Goes By, Rusalka and Lauralee-Inflight, a handsome $7,400.00.

Racing now takes a two-week break until December 27 (Boxing Day).