HUBERT Bartley, even at the early stages of being a claiming apprentice, demonstrated exceptional talent in adopting the very flat posture in the saddle favoured by riders on the tracks in this hemisphere. ‘Chinna’, as he was called affectionately to acknowledge his mixed Oriental roots, ended his career with 752 winners at an average 22.44 per cent, or better than a win from five and six rides.

A three-time champion — ’83, ’86 and ’91 — Bartley won all the Classics and most major races highlighted by the Jamaica Derby twice, and the Jamaica St Leger. Plagued by seemingly uncontrollable weight issues, Bartley did not realise his full potential and had a chequered career in his thirties when he would have been at his peak. Hubert R Bartley was in his early fifties when he passed away in March 2017.

Featured on a programme offering 10 races and run as the seventh was the Hubert Bartley Memorial Trophy run over 1500 metres at the Overnight Allowance level. The event was won by 2021 Horse Of The Year Further and Beyond (1-9). Ridden by Bebeto Harvey for trainer Donovan Hutchinson to open his career account, the massive five-year-old chestnut horse put in a workmanlike shift but was only a length and a half clear of Green Gold Rush, a horse yet to score in similar company.

The opening event — an 1100-metre maiden for four-year-olds and upwards and reserved for winless jockeys in 2023 — was taken by former Philip Feanny inmate Heroine. Offering 3-1, the top-rated declaration prepared by Barrington Bernard and running wide in the home stretch delivered a successful late challenge to score by a neck, for reinsman Chalrick Budhai to improve his statistics.

In race two, run at 1200 metres, there was a virtual match between 6-5 bet Storm Valley (Shane Richardson) and 9-5 chance Nina Dorada (Raddesh Roman), with the former prevailing by a short head for veteran trainer Johnny Wilmot to win his first in only five starts from his stable this season.

With 5-2 shot Sensational Ending scoring in race three, contested over 1300 metres, it was the fifth success of the two-day race meeting for leading reinsman Reyan Lewis, and the fourth for champion and 2023 leading conditioner Jason DaCosta.

Whilein over 1100 metres in race four, Steven Todd’s 6-5 bet Prince Sanjay’s strong late run gave champion jockey Dane Dawkins his only success on the card.

On the other hand, Tevin Foster, returning from a suspension, was in double riding form. Partnering 3-5 favourite G T Boy for former three-time champion Anthony Nunes over the 1300-metre gallop of race five, Foster followed up in the 1100-metre race six with A Gift From Ben (9-5) for trainer Fitzgerald Richards to register his third success from his 23 declarations this season.

Big Argument (Paul Francis), at odds of 9-2, led easily from early and never looked likely to be overtaken at any stage of the 1300-metre gallop for the major portion of the purse allotted to race eight. Hard-working trainer Edward Stanberry welcomed his seventh winner from 67 declarations this season.

Race nine, run over the 1,000 metres of the straight course, went to the Owen Sharpe-trained, 33/1 shot Box Box (USA), whose rider Jerome Innis just barely managed to stay aboard as the US-bred chestnut filly bolted right close to the finish.

In the closing event 8-1 bet Superio (Jawara Steadman) was nearly two lengths ahead of a big field of maiden three-year-olds for trainer Ian Roberts’s first win from five starts this season. Best-fancied by backers at odds of 2-1, Tokillamockingbird (Abigail Able) unseated his rider in the early stages of the 1000-metre-straight closing event.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Owen Sharpe for the signal improvement in the form of Box Box, (USA) whose three previous races gave no indication of the type of usefulness demonstrated in this front-running display of the Best Winning Gallop. Innis’s reaction to the bolting of Box Box, ensuring he was still in the saddle when it mattered (within shades of the winning post), earns him the Jockeyship Award.