Fresh Wings soars to emotional victory

Always close up, Stephen took the four-year-old gelding to the head of the business 600 metres out and he went clear for a comprehensive six-length victory.

It was an emotional victory for the Freshly Squeezed/Noble Form offspring, his seventh in eight starts when affable turfite Rupert Leong Poi, in wheelchjair and all went to lead in the winner.

Leong Poi, a very successful owner-breeder who bred Fresh Wings, had his legs amputated recently, because of diabetes.

And success yesterday did not end there, as Leong Poi’s Centurion which he bred with long-time friend Alwin Poon tip, swept to victory in the day’s finale in only his first ever start. In the feature, Mucho Tempo, another bred by Leong Poi together with Merlin Samlalsingh, finished runner-up to Fresh Wings with pre-race favourite Lit d’Amour third.

Two-year-old champ All For Java made a winning return after a four-month absence.

This son of Java In Flight/Set All cruised to a comfortable victory in the 1100 metres sprint for three-year-olds.

Always close up jockey Rajpaul Rajkumar sent All For Java about his business 800 metres out and it was all over bar the shouting as he recorded his seventh victory in eight starts.

And his time left food for thought, his clocking of one minute 07.44 seconds for the trip.

Champion jockey Wilmer Galviz, Rajkumar and Stephen all scored two victories each on the nine race programme. And defending champion trainer John O’Brien led his peers, saddling three winners with no other being able to double up.