GARY Subratie, who finished third in the 2012 Trainers’ Championship, took an early lead in 2013 edition by posting two winners on the New Year’s Day card at Caymanas Park yesterday.

The second-generation trainer first saddled the 7-2 bet, Classic Princess, to win the $700,000 New Year’s Day feature, and later returned to close the programme by winning the 11th race with Safe Passage.

Classic Princess, to break a lean spell since July of last year vame charging forward on the outside like a runaway train under lightweight jockey Aaron Chatrie, to win the New Year’s Trophy by half-of-a-length from the 6-5 favourite ridden by Dane Nelson.

Cantare had earlier out-battled Defferentgeneration to bring them in the lane, but found the 7-1 Sunlight Express, ridden by in-form jockey Richard Mitchell, tenacious in the drive.

But no sooner had he got rid of Sunlight Express than Classic Princess appeared on the horizon and being full of running, won in a driving finish. Classic Princess completed 1,300 metres distance in a time of 1:19.2 feeding off early fractions of 23.4 and 47.2.

Sunlight Express was third with the 2-1 chance El Patron, ridden by Omar Walker, completing the frame in the field of 11.

Classic Princess, a four-year-old filly by Western Classic out of Liz Maggie (Dynaformer), bred by Ruth Hussey and owned by Arthur Foreman, was winning for the fourth time from 20 career starts and earned $382,200 as the winner’s share for a bankroll of $2,277,400 lifetime.

Subratie’s other winner was Safe Passage, ridden by Omar Walker, who ran 1,000 metres in a time of 58.0 for victory.