Once again, 18-time champion trainer Wayne DaCosta demonstrated his extraordinary knowledge of how to prepare horses for specific assignments. Winner of the opening event Miss Formality (Omar Walker), who performed below par in her last three starts, returned so well-tuned from a 15-week hiatus, the filly was able to overcome a poor start to win by just over two lengths.

In the second event run half an hour later, DaCosta was back in the winners’ enclosure following Phillip Parchment’s enthusiastic effort to carve out a victory piloting the United States-bred imported juvenile Uncle Polly to complete the trainer’s two wins for the day.

Oneil Mullings’ educated handling of trainer Paul Smith’s Eddie’s Princess was a master class. Not the best away from the starting gates, the veteran reinsman got the mare balanced in such short order she was able to race on the heels of the leaders before the race was too old. Mulling’s anticipation there would be a gap on the far rails in the final part of the bend was perfect. Eddie’s Princess ran particularly well inside the last 300 metres to score at odds of 23/1.

Trevor Simpson, on another of his annual working winter holidays, induced Rohan Mathie’s little filly Kiah to outstay rivals in the afternoon’s fourth, followed by trainer Anthony Nunes’ only success of the day when Unbreakable under Dane Nelson was the strongest finisher in the fifth.

Leading rider Christopher Mamdeen enjoyed his only success when trainer Donovan Plummer’s four-year-old filly Queen Oftheharbour turned in a near seven-length winning performance in the afternoon’s sixth.

Champion Anthony Thomas was at his sublime best in the seventh when he coaxed Delroy Spencer’s Rohan’s Cattleya to hold her long-time lead over the 1,300 metres of the event.

Trainer Gary Subratie was not entirely unhappy with the 55.5 kilogrammes his middle-distance campaigner Crimson had to tote in the eighth and feature United Racehorse Trainer’s Association Trophy event. Thomas, who is a rider of well above average ability, produced an even better demonstration of tactical jockeyship than that of his earlier win on Rohan’s Cattleya.

Chasing the leaders turning over on to the backstretch, Thomas realised the Michros-owned gelding was going too fast and took him off the pace immediately to well back in mid-division. Kept fresh for a decisive homestretch effort, Crimson duly outstayed the field by two lengths and suggested he is likely to be a much better horse in the coming 2020 season.

Conditioner Patrick Lynch had a double on the day to move his season tally to 36 trips to the winners’ enclosure with victories by the inconsistent El Profesor (Aaron Chatrie) and the problematic Smarty Tradition (Reyan Lewis) in the ninth and 10th, respectively.

THE AWARDS

The Training Feat Award is presented to Wayne DaCosta for his re-schooling of Miss Formality and Anthony Thomas’ outstanding display of horsemanship and tactical savvy on both his winners give him yet another Jockeyship Award. Crimson’s performance in the feature event was flawless and is deserving of the Best Winning Award.