Anthony Nunes becomes the ‘sweeper’
AFTER finishing a close third in last Saturday’s Jamaica Derby with Further and Beyond , two-time champion trainer Anthony Nunes had something to smile about when he swept the top four places in a three-year-old and upwards Restricted Stakes highlighting event at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Nunes’ sweep was led by three-year-old, American-bred, dark bay filly Go Deh Girl, who beat Hoist The Mast, Acero and Glock in the five-furlong (1,000m) straight event.
It was Hoist The Mast (Shane Ellis) who led the race from the start, with Go Deh Girl (Dane Nelson) and Gentle Giant (Dick Cardenas) just behind. As the runners sorted themselves out, Hoist The Mast and Go Deh Girl drew away from the field coming across the dummy rails in what was shaping up to be a two-horse race.
However, inside the final furlong (200m) the bustling Nelson got his mount in top gear, and once Go Deh Girl hit her best stride the race was all over as she cruised home to win by a length and a half winning in a quick 58.0 seconds.
Hoist The Mast, who had finished in front of Go Deh Girl in their two meetings, had to settle for second money this time around as the favourite. Acero, ridden by Richard Reid, came from behind horses to get third place, with Glock (O’brien White) getting up for fourth place in the six-horse field. Nunes’ other runner in the six-horse event, Let Him Fly (Carlos Blake), finished last.
The celebration didn’t stop there as Nunes went on to claim another sweep, this time the top three places in a Restricted Allowance 11 (NW2) event for native-bred three-year-old fillies over five and a half furlongs (1,100m).
Chandra’s Law (Omar Walker) just held on to win by a nose from Badgyalriri (Nelson up) and Vanessa (Dick Cardenas) in what was the battle between the six-time champion (Walker and the four-time champion (Nelson). The final time for the event was 1:08.3.
Two-time champion Anthony Thomas was the toast among the jockeys with three winners on the 10-race card. Thomas won aboard Key Witness for trainer Nicholas Smith in the second race and Jamal James and Maya for trainer Gregory Forsyth in the day’s fifth and 10th events, respectively.
Forsyth joined Nunes as the top trainer on the day with two wins each.
Racing continues on Saturday.
