In a thrilling drive to the wire, champion two-year-old of last season Further and Beyond, showing his true fighting spirit and known class, held off the persistent challenge of Billy Whizz to win thePrince Consort Stakes feature over seven furlongs (1,400m) at Caymanas Park yesterday.

The Prince Consort Stakes, a native-bred three-year-old Graded Stakes event for colts and geldings, is one of the major preparation races heading into the Classic series of races.

Both Further and Beyond, ridden by Dane Nelson, and Billy Whizz, with Anthony Thomas having the reins in his hands, came out of their starting stalls in order, and immediately they disputed the lead ahead of rivals leaving the six furlongs (1,200m) point on the track.

Further and Beyond, who held a slim lead, and Billy Whizz maintained their confrontational status down the backstretch and into the half-mile (800m) turn before Further and Beyond drew off at the top of the lane.

Billy Whizz refused to give up in deep stretch and came with a strong run towards the end of the race, but Nelson pumping hard and Further and Beyond were able to hold on by a short head to claim this prestigious win. Further and Beyond‘s stablemates Calculus (Linton Steadman) and Curlin’s Affair (Robert Halledeen) came home in third and fourth places, respectively.

It was Further and Beyond‘s first run in three months, as the Anthony Nunes-conditioned chestnut colt came home in a time of 1:26.0 with fractions of 24.0 x 46.3 x 1:11.2. Bred by Blue Pepsi Lodge out of the Graeme Hall mare Rumble, Further and Beyond was winning his third-consecutive race following victories in the Pick-3 Super Challenge Trophy (seven furlongs) in November and the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes (one mile) a month later at the backend of last season.

Nelson was also at his best when guiding home the Fitzgerald Richards-trained Patriarch in a gate-to-wire run to win the Easter Sprint Cup. The Easter Sprint Cup is an Overnight Allowance event for three-year-olds and upwards at five-and-a-half furlongs (1,100m).

Patriarch won by 6 ¾ lengths in a fast time of 1:05.0 ahead of Another Bullet (Shane Ellis) and Laban (Omar Walker). This win on Patriarch by Nelson gave him the two feature events on the day.

Also with two winners on the nine-race programme was apprentice Youville Pinnock who won aboard Lalala Bamba for trainer Dennis Pryce in the first event and Pure Heart for trainer Patrick Lynch in the very next race.

No trainer was able to get more than one winner on the nice-race programme.