The important 1,200-metre Classic trial feature for the Sir Howard Stakes provided owners and trainers with another opportunity to evaluate the transition from two to three years the aspiring colts and geldings have attained in preparation for the Futurities to come.

Tekapunt, ridden by Phillip Parchment for trainer Jason DaCosta’s second win on the card, benefitted from a strong early pace ahead of him to leap home at odds of 10/1. This result is not entirely surprising as this bay son of Northern Giant had proven competitive against the best of his peers in the two-year-old campaign.

However, what must have been disappointing is the failure of 1-5 favourite Perfect Brew, second best in the Jamaica-Two-Year-Old Stakes, to finish no higher than fifth without looking likely to justify market status. The 10/1 winner was followed on the frame by Shadowfax (87/1), Power (7/2) and Blue Vinyl (8/1) to raise more questions than answers. One imagines the fillies Thornbird Stakes and the colt and geldings Prince Consort Stakes will give a clearer picture of what’s ahead at the appropriate time.

On an especially quiet Sunday afternoon, the day’s first of nine events was won by the Spencer Chung-schooled maiden Mule Train (9/2) with Aaron Chatrie finding the lead in the final stride of the 1,400-metre contest for the trainer’s opener of a double.

In race three, lightly raced US-bred horse Race Car (1/9) arrived close home to confirm the stable’s double success with Dane Nelson picking up the first of his two wins in the 1,000-metre round third.

Nelson had his second trip to the winners’ enclosure following the sixth, run over 1,000 metres straight at even money, on trainer’s Alford Brown, Colour Me Tan.

Trained by Ryan Darby and ridden by Paul Francis at odds of 2/1, durable 12-year-old campaigner Royal Vibes on his 135th appearance had his 15th career success in the 1,600-metre second race.

Still in training currently is another two of similar age, Fortuneonehundred (USA) and Hover Craft all schooled by the late 18-time champion Wayne DaCosta for the most successful phases of their racing life.

Leading rider Dane Dawkins aboard 1/5 favourite Action Ann for trainer Patrick Lynch had a riding lesson for improving apprentice Youville Pinnock on Richard Azan’s Artesia in the fourth over 1,200 metres. Dawkins took the advantage, an opening on the far rails to seize the initiative in the upper straight while Pinnock was forced to take his mount four wide in the bend. Artesia ran on gamely, but the pundit’s deemed Pinnock was lacking in the ability to switch his whip hand to left when it mattered and Dawkins was the superior athlete in eking out a winning margin of a short head.

Half an hour later, Pinnock, who had a double 24 hours earlier, obviously motivated by the accustomed teasing from his counterparts looked a different rider in the 1,500-metre fifth event. Prompting the pace from early with the Azan-trained Thirtyonekisses (8/1), held the lead in the straight and under expert use of his whip left-handed, Pinnock coaxed the filly home by a head to earn appreciative applause even from his earlier detractors. Pinnock may well have been justified if he had choice words for his previous tormentors when he returned to the riders’ quarters.

Champion Anthony Thomas was down on his luck by 50 per cent when he was penalised with a disqualification from first and only added one winner the previous day. However, he was in the winners’ enclosure again today with the Jason DaCosta-conditioned Sensational Ending (2/5) in securing the first of a double for the trainer.

Shane Ellis, who was thrown from fancied Goliath The Great in the Sir Howard Stakes, was none the worse and rode the nightcap winner Smokey Topaz at 2/1 over the 100-metre round course for trainer Patrick Fong’s first of the season.

With the season two and a half months in, Dane Dawkins leads the jockeys’ standing with 21 wins followed by Nelson on 18 and Thomas on 14. Front-runner Dawkins is slated to be overtaken by Nelson a former four-time titlist and three-time and current champion Thomas in a matter of a few race days hence as the two current best in jockey colony begin to ride winners at far more regular intervals than in the preceding two months.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Jason DaCosta for the performance of Tekapunt in delivering the Best Winning Gallop in the Sir Howard Stakes and the Jockeyship Award is given to Phillip Parchment for yet another display of the competitive edge in a fiercely contested event.