Fortunate Flag waved in ARC feature

FORTUNATE FLAG sprung a mild surprise, winning the feature Allowance race on Day 9 of the Arima Race Club season at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterday. Ridden enterprisingly, the American-bred colt disputed the early lead with Twice Infallible with pre-race favourite Miss Lover Lover tracking. Jockey Wilmer Galviz sent Fortunate Flag into the lead 300 metres out and was quickly tackled by Miss Lover Lover. But under the strong driving of Galviz, the Antonio Navarro-owned four-year-old was not going to be denied. Newcomer Lit d’Amour created a favourable impression when he scooted clear in the final 200 metres to whip the imported maidens over 1300 metres.

Another having his first start on a local track, Rebel Music who was in mid-division most of the way, ran on resolutely to grab second over favourite Gray Warrior. Kato who showed his victory last time out was no fluke when he easily disposed of five rivals in the West Indies bred three-year-old event over 1200 metres. This chestnut colt, also owned by Navarro, had four lengths to spare runner-up Melanie My Love with Java Takeover in third.

Galviz was the star rider of the day, landing three winners on the day’s nine-race programme, while champion jockey Brian Harding and leading apprentice Sheldon Rodrigo guided home two winners each. The top trainer was young Kenneth de Silva Jr who saddled both Kato and Fortunate Flag. Favourites obliged in most races but there were some handsome trifecta and superfecta dividends in the fourth race won by Richie Rich who paid $18.30 and $6 on the tote. The trifecta dividend was $3,500 and the superfecta $2,792.