After receiving a whopping from Come Dance With Me on his first start, Ali Baba returned to deliver the same medicine to eight, two-year-old rivals on Saturday last at Caymanas Park. With Dick Cardenas again in the saddle, the well-built bay colt by Fearless Vision – Awhofah tussled for the lead with stable companion Dripping In Gold, then when asked by the rider to settle matters, Ali Baba simply pulled away for a near 10-length victory, covering six furlongs in 1:13.3 minutes. While not at this stage the best juvenile to race thus far, Ali Baba is developing quite nicely as evidenced by his performance on Saturday, a position shared by his trainer, Wayne DaCosta. “Ali Baba is coming along well, he is improving and I am relatively pleased with his performance today (Saturday).” Based on how he has been exercising and the manner in which Ali Baba won on Saturday, the impression is given that the bay colt might enjoy going longer than six furlongs. “Much too early to make that assessment. At this stage it is difficult to make such an analysis but I am always hoping for the best. A good horse in the making, but let us wait and see,” DaCosta told the Complete Racing Guide.

NELSON DRAWS LEVEL WITH CARDENAS

The intriguing race for the jockey’s championship is providing a much need bonus to local racing as the title aspirants, champion Dane Nelson and Dick Cardenas have been trading winners. After his triple on Saturday last Nelson has drawn level with Cardenas. Nelson started the raceday on 73 winners with Cardenas just two ahead on 75. Nelson then drew level when he rode the first two winners on the 10-race programme, Titanic in the first race for trainer Clifford C Atkinson Snr going over 1,600 metres and Safe Passage in the second race over the five straight course. Cardenas reclaimed the lead in the third race when he piloted Ali Baba to victory. Nelson then secured his triple aboard Chief Secretariat.

QUEEN’S HORSE STRIPPED OF GOLD CUP PLACE

LONDON, England (AFP) – Queen Elizabeth II’s racehorse Estimate has been stripped of its second-place finish in this year’s Gold Cup after a positive drugs test, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) ruled on Thursday. But although Estimate’s post-race sample contained the banned substance morphine, it was the result of contaminated feed, so the Queen’s trainer Michael Stoute avoided a financial penalty.

HUBERT BARTLEY SET FOR ANOTHER RETURN

Former top notch jockey Hubert “Chinna” Bartley is reported to have applied and received his riding licence thereby paving the way for yet another of his returns to competitive race riding. Bartley who was one of the country’s leading riders in the 1980’s and 90’s has had his problems with maintaining his weight in the past has had a distinguished career riding two Derby winners, Poorlittlerichgirl and Mr Lover Lover and six winners of the Jamaica St Leger. He has been champion jockey on two occasions. Bartley is a regular at the track in the mornings in recent times, exercising horses and getting in riding trim.