Superlative Superluminal strikes in Fontainbleu
Superluminal, the Ian Parsard-trained seven- year-old bay horse, turned in another superlative performance, this time to win the $1.15 million Fontainbleu Trophy feature on the 10-race Heroes Day programme at Caymanas Park yesterday.
The hard-knocking and ever consistent Superluminal in the process of winning the Open Allowance event contested over 7 ½ furlongs (1,500m), turned the tables on Triple Crown winner Supreme Soul who defeated him over nine furlongs and 25 yards on September 21.
Superluminal completed the distance in a time of 1:31.1 after splits of 23.3 x 46.2 x 1:10.3 for his comfortable length-and-half win in the three-year-olds and upward event.
Ridden by Omar Walker, Superluminal (Natural Selection – Thousand Hills) broke well and sat in second position throughout the first half of the race as he watched Bruce Wayne (Aaron Chatrie) dictate the pace.
Cruising nicely down the backstretch, Superluminal then went in serious chase of the leader navigating the half-mile (800m) turn and then took over the lead at the top of the lane.
Superluminal turned on the pressure in deep stretch, powering home to score easily ahead of Bruce Wayne who did well to hold on to second place ahead of stable companion Dontae (Oneil Mullings).
Elsewhere on the card, Kholbear trained by Richard Azan and ridden by Robert Halledeen, came with a strong run on the outside of rivals to win the $900,000 Abbie Grannum Memorial Cup, a maiden special weight event for native-bred twoyear- olds over seven furlongs (1,400m). Kholbear won by a neck ahead of Royal Approach (Shane Ellis) and Elitist (Javaniel Patterson).
The Heroes Day Stakes Trophy was won by Royal Aviator (Phillip Parchment), beating She’s Symbolic (Aaron Chatrie) by a neck going one mile (1,600m). The winning time was 1:39.4.