The consistent Campesino, shrugged off the vestigies of perennial runner-up by capturing the top-rated Open Allowance event at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Sent off as the 1-2 odds on favourite in the field of nine talented runners, Campesino was held just off the pace in third position by apprentice Linton Steadman, some five lengths behind expected leaders Crucial Appeal (Shane Ellis) and Force De Jour (Dane Dawkins) swinging around the half-mile.

Campesino then responded well to the urgings of Steadman in deep stretch and came with a quick burst to beatCrucial Appeal, who looked the likely winner at the furlong pole, going away by two comfortable lengths in the three-year-old and up event over 1,100 metres. Both Campesino and Crucial Appeal are owned by Howard Hamilton’s Hamark Farms.

Force De Jour managed to hold on to third position ahead of a fast-finishing Scoop Jordyne, the mount of O’Brien White.

Bred by Lorenzo Robinson, owned by Hamark Farms and trained by Philip Feanny, Campesino (Compadre – Yaella) stopped the clock in a very quick 1:04.3 minutes, which was just 01.2 seconds slower than the track record of 1:03.1 minutes set by Michele’s Magic in 1997.

The Anthony Nunes-trained Orpheus sent a strong signal to rivals in the Lotto Classic for Governor’s Cup with a commanding victory in Restricted Stakes event.

Orpheus, ridden by Shane Ellis, won the 1,820-metre event by seven-and-a-half lengths over another aspirant,Chace The Great in an impressive 1:54:3 minutes, without breaking a sweat.

Racing continues on Saturday with a 10-race card.