THE opening event provided an opportunity for veteran conditioner Adin Williams to visit the winners’ enclosure for the second time in this shortened racing year in Jamaica.

War of the Roses (Dane Nelson) was the trainer’s 44th start and justified favouritism convincingly, winning by over six lengths and conceding weight to all 12 rivals.

Wayne DaCosta’s imported filly Polly’s Gal, who was expected to win on debut but started many lengths in arrears of her field, had to work hard to claim victory this time. But, under the guidance of Nelson for the title-chasing reinsman’s double, the daughter of Tizway made no mistake in the day’s second.

Race three was won by nine-year-old Awesome Cat. Held up just behind a hot pace set by 10-year-old Fortuneonehundred (Dane Nelson) in a fiercely contested headline, Phillip Parchment charted a course on the far rails with the Tyrone Prince-trained gelding and led 100 metres out to score by two lengths.

In the fourth the front runners tired in the last 200 metres and fell prey to the strong late run of Glitter Running (Roger Hewitt) for trainer Ralph Roberts’s first win from only five starts this season.

Favourite for the fifth, Awesome Treasure in scoring by three lengths provided trainer Gary Subratie with his first of two wins as apprentice Raddesh Roman ably piloted the American-bred filly for her maiden success, claiming the first of two for owner Success Farms as well.

Anthony Thomas, easily the most talented rider to emerge in the last decade, showed tactical awareness in using the speed of Supreme Authority — drawn at the most unfavourable post position, number one — to rush across the sixth-race field and claim the favourable stand rails. Sprinting well, the six-year-old US import remained clear to score by over four lengths for trainer Michael Francis to win his fifth race from seventeen starts this year.

Starting at odds of 7/1, Stanislaus, trained by veteran Wilfred Chin, was the most determined speedster of his main challengers and even had to survive an extended steward’s inquiry and two objections before being confirmed as the winner of the seventh.

In contrast, Corazon (Dick Cardenas), favourite for the eighth, had no such luck and was disqualified from a three-and-half-length victory having been deemed culpable in the fall of Nuclear Thunder ridden by champion Christopher Mamdeen, who was incensed enough to lodge an objection from which he had no chance of benefiting. The race was awarded to the Steven Todd-trained Mr Universe for leading rider Thomas’s second win.

In the ninth and penultimate event, improving US-bred colt Eroy (Omar Walker) from the stables of Richard Azan defied the 57 kilogrammes to concede weight to all six rivals, mainly Derby fifth King Arthur (Anthony Thomas), as Another Affair, who was pacemaker in the Derby, lost her rider Dick Cardenas in the first few strides. Eroy scored by over a length and with normal improvement will get to top class in due course.

Favourite for the nightcap Sir Alton (Anthony Thomas), a potential top-class sprinter in the making, failed to justify his overwhelming market support. Led by God of Love (Oshane Nugent), Sir Alton competed unsuccessfully for the lead in the stretch drive and did not get his head in front of this rival before the classy game, genuine and consistent Sentient (Robert Halledeen) sped past them to score by over a length, thus securing trainer Subratie’s double for owner Success Farm.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Gary Subratie for the performance of Sentient under top weight over a distance considered well short of his regular best, with the money-spinning colt — $9.6 million from 28 starts — delivering the Best Winning Gallop and giving Robert Halledeen the Jockeyship Award.