Trainer Michael Thomas notches first seasonal win

Trainer Michael Thomas saddled his first winner for the 2019 racing season, albeit by way of the stewards’ room.

Francis’s charge Mount Zion King obliged in a Restricted Allowance event for native-bred five-year-olds and upwards non-winners of two over four furlongs (800m) straight.

Ridden by new apprentice Marshall Porter, Mount Zion King (Silent Valor – Sweet Grace) finished second behind winner Struck by Grace (Christopher Mamdeen) by two lengths in a time of 48.2 seconds.

However, Struck by Grace was disqualified from first position and placed second with Mount Zion King promoted to the top spot. The formal announcement from the stewards was that first by the post, Struck by Grace was disqualified for causing intimidation and interference to Mount Zion King at the three-furlong (600m) pole during the race. Sweetie Girl (Roger Hewitt) finished third.

Samantha Fletcher at her best

Samantha Fletcher made sure that the presence of female riders doesn’t go unnoticed after she booted home Eye Candy to an emphatic win in an Optional Claiming ($750,000-$700,000) spread over five-and-a-half furlongs (1,100m).

Eye Candy was not well away when the gates opened, but Fletcher held the Dennis Lee trainee off the pace in the early exchanges as Sir Kel (Jerome Innis) set the fractions ahead of Western Wheels (Christopher Mamdeen).

Going into the half-mile (800m) turn, Sir Kel tried to skip away from the field, Fletcher got Eye Candy going, slipping down into fourth place, approaching the final bend for the drive.

Western Wheels took over in deep stretch and looked all over the winner but Fletcher switched her mount from outside of runners to the inside rails for her challenge and Eye Candy got up in time to beat Western Wheels by a neck.

Uncle Freddie (Anthony Thomas) was third. The final time was 1:06.2.

Breaking Storm off the mark on the second attempt

In only his second attempt on the racetrack, four-year-old dark bay colt Breaking Storm (Storm Craft – Danzig La Rae) was able to shed the maiden tag after winning over six furlongs (1,200m).

It was an even start for most of the runners in the 13-horse field as a group then several bunched up on the front end vying for the lead. As the runners settled going into the half-mile turn, jockey Phillip Parchment sent through Breaking Storm to take the lead and the dark bay colt immediately opened up on the field approaching the home bend.

Turning for home unmolested, Breaking Storm went on to score by 5 ¾ lengths ahead of Ratio (One Mullings) and Robin’s Quest (Natalie Berger) in a time of 1:16.2. Breaking Storm is owned by Andre Graham and trained by his father Neive.

Fiery Path, Fortuneonehundred in exciting dead-heat finish

At the end of the sixth race, an Optional Claiming ($250,000-$200,000) event, the photo-finish camera could not separate Fiery Path and Fortuneonehundred at the wire resulting in a dead heat.

Fortuneonehundred (Prince Holder) turned for home with a strong lead with a group of horses chasing. In the closing stages, it was Fiery Path (Omar Simpson) who came through to challenge and both horses dipped at the same time on the line.

Bigman Union (Dane Nelson) finished in third place. The final time for the six-furlong event was a pedestrian 1:17.0.

Two horses claimed

Only two horses passed through the claiming box on the 10-race programme.

In the third race, trainer Paul Smith claimed Royal Girl for owner Debbie Boxx for $180,000 from Wayne DaCosta.

In the sixth race, Gary Griffiths claimed Bigman Union for owner J J Tash for $250,000 from Byron Davis.