QUEEN Paula produced a magnificent run to win the 40th staging of the CD Alexander Company Realty Limited-sponsored Jamaica 1,000 Guineas over 1,600 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Queen Paula is owned, trained and bred by Lorenzo Robinson. Ridden by jockey Andre Martin, the three-year-old bay filly by Film Director-Breathless by Dixie Dancer gave both Robinson and Martin their first Guineas winner, and the first overall Classic winner for Robinson. It was also the first Classic winner for the stallion Film Director.

Running from post position 12, Queen Paula at 16-1 broke well and was held in third place behind Street Dancer (Dick Cardenas) and the 1-9 favourite Bubbling Angeline (Winston Griffiths) passing the 1,200-metre point. But when Griffiths asked Bubbling Angeline to go, Martin answered and sent Queen Paula in chase at the 600-metre pole.

Turning for home on the outside on top, Queen Paula repelled a feeble challenge from the overwhelming favourite before pulling away for a comfortable five-length victory in a time of 1:39:4 minutes.

Black Thorn (Dane Nelson) at 35-1 came from far behind and snatched second from Bubbling Angeline.

“This is my first Classic winner and I am just happy for that. We had everything planned out for this race, the preparation coming into the race was good, as we gave her a furlong workout and she came back well. The jockey rode a perfect race and I am just happy with the win,” an elated Robinson told the Jamaica Observer.

Martin was equally happy with the victory.

“We had a plan coming into this race; the trainer’s instruction was that any time I get the opportunity to go in front of Bubbling Angeline I should take it and that is what I did. From the three-and-a-half-furlong I found myself just where I wanted to be and just rode her (Queen Paula) for the last two furlongs and we eventually won the race,” Martin explained.

Meanwhile, former champion jockey Shane ‘Canter Man’ Ellis was not to be left out as he rode three winners on the 10-race programme. His winners were Arabian Dane in the third race for trainer Lawrence Freemantle, Uncle G in the fifth race for trainer Paul Smith, and he closed the three-timer with an impressive first-time runner, the Anthony Nunes-trained three-year-old dark bay filly Brussel Sprout, by Outrigger-Waterspout by Smoke Glacken, in the eighth race over 1,000 metres straight.

No trainer saddled more than one winner.

Racing continues on Saturday with the 40th running of the Jamaica 2,000 Guineas (GR 1), sponsored by CD Alexander Company Realty Limited for native-bred three-year-old colts and geldings, also over 1,600 metres.