Tactical Bid makes all in Dimanche Gras

TACTICAL BID made almost every metre of the 1750 metre distance to easily win the feature Dimanche Gras Allowance race at the Arima Race Club Carnival Friday Lime, at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday. Champion jockey Brian Harding broke the Cyril “Greypatch” Arneaud-trained filly smartly and but for a brief moment when Ring Dang Do pointed, always had the $13,000 winners’ purse sewn up. Millenium Reign made a valiant effort to catch the pre-race favourite and got to her haunches, but the filly owned by Russell Ramsammy drew away for a length and three-quarters victory.

A fair crowd turned up for this first-ever racing on Carnival Friday, but with the form horses prevailing, there were hardly any big payouts. Biggest on the tote yesterday was Undisputed who won the King Of The Bands Optional Claiming to reward backers with $15.80 and $5.80. Coupled with runner-up Hundred Percent ($7.40 on the tote), New Star and Balthazar, the superfecta dividend was the biggest — $3,197.50. Next best on the tote was Yaa Asantewaa who won the Calypso Monarch 1300 metres event for four-year-old West Indies Bred horses. The payout was $10.30 and $3.40. Yaa Asantewaa gave young apprentice rider Joshua Stephen his maiden victory, but he suffered some nervous minutes to claim the success, having to go through an objection, but the stewards ruled in his favour. The day’s riding honours went to Harding who landed a hat-trick of winners with Fast Company in the sixth race, Preffered Share, in the seventh and Tactical Bid in the eighth. And John O’Brien, the “Captain” saddled three winners to be the top trainer on the day, just ahead of Chester Roberts who had two.