BY HURBUN WILLIAMS

Observer writer

DESIGN Star, a 4-1 betting choice, dictated terms in mid-track from the off and held the advantage back to the line to win the $715,000 Mercury Sprint feature by half-a-length at Caymanas Park on Saturday.

Owned by Michael T Gayle, and ridden by Chris Douglas, Design Star ran 1,000 metres straight in a sprightly 1:00.1 minutes, to blunt the effort from 1-9 favourite The Messenger, who was always playing catching up under Panamanian rider Dick Cardenas in the 11-horse field for native-bred three-year-old colts and geldings.

Trained by Patrick Lynch and shooting from barrier 11, Design Star headed straight for centre track from where he settled and dictated terms, with fractions of 23.0 and 46.3 seconds, to open his winning account the first time of asking as a three-year-old.

Actus Reus, ridden by Shane Ellis but neglected in the betting at odds of 49-1, came forward aggressively in the dying moments while skimming the running rails. The bay gelding’s effort was only good enough for third money after he was found wanting a length away. Princechad, a 9-1 chance who tracked the first two from the last 500 metres, failed to keep the momentum going and folded in the drive to complete the frame under 4.0kg claiming apprentice Cavel Brown.

A three-year-old grey colt by Vanadium out of the Lady Sam (Smokehouse Sam) and bred by Joseph A and Mrs Shirley McKesey), Design Star earned $390,400 as the winner’s share for earnings of $455,450 from his three career starts.

Meanwhile, trainers Lynch and Lawrence Freemantle shared training honours with two wins each. So too did two-time champion apprentice Doushane Gordon and former champion jockey Shane Ellis, who took riding honours on the 10-race card with two wins each, as veteran jockey David McKenzie showed that age is just a number when he booted home the 15-1 shot Gershwin for trainer Philip Feanny in a maiden condition race for native-bred three-year-olds.

It was only the second career start for Gershwin, who was ridden by McKenzie on both occasions.

Gordon’s winners were the 7-5 chance Way To Go in the second race trained by Sidney Watson, and Mark To Market, trained Freemantle in the sixth. Ellis mounted Lesterae for trainer Freemantle in the third and Quiet Knight for trainer Lynch in the fourth.