In the absence of favoured Balazo, the horse expected to be the chief threat to winning aspirations of favourite Smokey Topaz, reinsman Orlando Foster produced a smart effort to win the opening event.

In the early lead, Foster allowed Smokey Topaz to be overtaken by Okahumpka before delivering his successful challenge inside the last 200 metres for trainer Dennis Pryce’s fourth trip to the winners’ enclosure in recent times.

Dick Cardenas won the first of his three races on the day when the Anthony Nunes-conditioned Baltusrol outsprinted six rivals to win the second; it was the first of two for the champion trainer.

A lengthy steward’s inquiry led to the disqualification of second-placed Bimini (Roger Hewitt) and third-placed Mr Universe (Anthony Thomas) for interference and intimidation to sundry rivals.

Conceding weight all-round and being able to see all rivals for the first 400 metres of the 1500-metre gallop, Purple Wayne (Omar Walker), trained by Robert Pearson, produced a strong run wide of rivals in the home stretch to secure the day’s third.

Race four produced the closest finish of the afternoon; with winner Storm Born (Paul Francis), trained by Donovan Russell, held on by a short head from a late challenge by Miss Elaine (Matthew Bennett) with A Seh Soup (Osive Donegal) a close third less than one length away.

Saddled by Ryan Derby for the 30th occasion, five-year-old mare Whatever, bred and owned by Raphael Gordon under a smooth ride by 2018 champion Anthony Thomas, was the best finisher from off the early pace in the day’s fifth event.

In the sixth, Princess Statistic (Christopher Mamdeen) led everywhere except very close home when the well-handicapped odds-on favourite Sure Cote (Youville Pinnock) arrived in the final strides to score by a half a length.

The sustained form of trainer Ian Parsard was confirmed when debutant Dodge This Link (Dane Dawkins) outsprinted his 15 maiden rivals to score by over two lengths in the 400-metre trip of the day’s seventh.

The Dick Cardenas second of three came in the eighth with Lorne Kirlew’s well-built short-sprinting filly Jensunera Steel, was always in control of the pace to score by three lengths.

Anthony Nunes’ Classic aspirant Glock, fresh from a seven-length fourth-place finish in the 1000 Guineas and advantageously weighted by the conditions, won the 1000 metres round nightcap by six lengths for Cardenas’ third on the card and his sixth over the last two race days.

THE AWARDS

The Training Feat Award is presented to Robert Pearson for the performance of Purple Wayne. The manner in which the gelding won is deserving of recognition as the Best Winning Gallop. It was vintage Omar Walker on display as the former six-time champion delivered on a difficult assignment to secure Purple Wayne’s third career win.