TOP apprentice Doushane Gordon rode a three-timer in sloppy conditions, including Von Almighty in the $715,000 Ash Wednesday Trophy feature to hug the riding spotlight at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Riding in rich form, Gordon opened the programme on the 14-1 bet Cat For The King for trainer Tony Kirlew and posted a quick double with 4-5 favourite Kamechi in the second for trainer Ryan Darby.

The top apprentice then crowned the afternoon by winning the day’s feature with the 5-1 shot Von Almighty by 3 1/4 lengths for trainer Richard Azan in the penultimate ninth race.

Von Almighty, who out-battled both stablemate The Chief, 5-2, and the favourite Skittle Queen at 3-5, ran 1,300 metres in 1:19.3 to open his winning account for the season after two starts in the field of eight for Overnight Allowance three-year-olds and upward.

The victory by Von Almighty did not surprise to trainer Richard Azan who said that he had prepared his horses to run well in the event.

“I was expecting The Chief to win, but he was so pressured on the lead by Laws Of The Cat he faltered in the drive. However, I won as Von Almighty was also expected to run well.

“He ran as expected and won,” Azan emphasised.

Skittle Queen, ridden by Omar Walker, seemingly did not enjoy the heavy underfoot condition and by the time she got going, it was all but over but held on for second ahead of The Chief, who tried to make all but was pressured by the lightly weighted Laws Of The Cat under Conrad Ellis and folded after turning for home.

Star Of The Sea came from last to finish fourth partnered by Jason Simpson at odds of 9-1.

Own by Von White and Richard Azan, Von Almighty a four-year-old bay gelding by Western Classic out of Lunar Explosion (Outflanker) was bred at Ham Stables Ltd. It was the gelding’s fifth win from 22 career starts and he earned $390,400 the winner’s for earnings of $2,506,850 lifetime.