It was a Royal Flush at Arima

RANK outsider Royal Flush, not given much of a chance, scored a stunning victory in the Adoring Groom event for three-year-old contenders for this year’s triple crown on Day 9 of the Arima Race Club racing season at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterrday.

Sent off at odds of 65/1 in the 1750 metres race, Mary P. Navarro’s gelded son of Time For A Trick/Royal Beauty upstaged raging pre-race favourite Ichiban who could finish only a poor sixth, and well-fancied stablemate Due Dilligence, who was seventh. Backers of Royal Flush were smiling all the way to the payout windows to receive $132.30 and $13.80 on their $2 tickets. Sweet Tempo was first to show in the race along with Full Of Promises, Celebration Time and Cornerstone tracking. But Royal Flush who was in mid-division, took command at the 600 metres marker and strode home. Movietowne Magic made almost all the running to win the Pegasus Plus Sprint over 1350 metres, holding off the challenges of Invincibility and Outswinger who followed him to the wire. But Man Of Class kicked off in front and was never headed in taking the 1350 metres Starlight Stakes the other co-feature. But Miss Lover Lover, a faller last time out, scattered her 12 rivals winning by eight lengths in the curtain Have A Heart event over 1250 metres. 

It was a good day for the owner-trainer team of Luciano Woodley and Shaffique Khan, scoring a rare double with Sunday Purchase and Bazodee Gal. But the star rider of the day was defending champion Rajpaul Rajkumar who booted home three winners, while affable owner, trainer, breeder Maniram “Boboy” Maharaj also saddled two winners on the day. There were numerous upsets on the day’s 10-race programme with the biggest trifecta coming on the Royal Flush, Celebration Time, Cornerstone combination - $6,611.20.  The exacta rewarded lucky punters with $1,511.20. Biggest superfecta dividend came on the Phenomenon, Hatrick, Classy Kim, Finest Gem quartet $11,521.60, while the Miss Lover Lover, Maid Of Honour, In Swinger, Carnival Messiah foursome paid $9,846.30.