Race Day Review — Saturday, October 7, 2023
Kerry-Gayl Robinson was aboard his ninth mount of season with the responsibility to pilot 2-5 favourite Fearless Soul in the opening 1,200-metre event.
The infrequently engaged reinsman did an admirable job to guide the colt to victory in a competitive event. Always prominent, the well-conformed colt, schooled by former 14-time champion Philip Feanny, secured the major share of the spoils to follow up its success on debut. This winner has excellent prospects of showing progressive form as he was comfortable at the finish although only just over a length in front.
Race two ended with a victory for trainer Courtney Williams as Expeditious at odds 7-2, ridden by three-kilogramme claimer Ramon Nepare, was in front of stable companion Colawill at the end of the 1,100-metre gallop.
In race three, veteran conditioner Phillip Lee turned out Ajita (5-1) in unbeatable front-running condition to win by seven lengths over 1,500 metres with Matthew Bennett at the reins.
Delay The Game (11-1), declared by Ryan Darby and guided by Jordan Barrett, turned out to be another front-running winner at good price. Although headed in the upper stretch, the four-year-old bay colt regained the lead gamely and outstayed his rivals over the extended 1,820 metres course by four and a half lengths.
Based on his previous performance, Great Wayne (3-5), trained by Ralph Roberts and ridden by Roger Hewitt, duly cantered in eight lengths clear of his nearest rival over the 1,600 metres of race five.
In race six, 7-1 shot War Horse, trained by Andrew McDonald with Phillip Parchment in the saddle, was seven lengths better than 1-2 favourite Ship Ahoy. Runner-up rider Tevin Foster lodged a baseless objection which was rightly overruled by the race day Operation Stewards.
In terms of future prospect, Jason DaCosta’s US-bred juvenile Digital One won race seven in workmanlike fashion over a gallop of the 1,100 metres. Tested by the speed of stable mate Banadura (Abigail Able), Digital One (USA) came forward readily entering the final 200 metres to score by nearly three lengths with champion Dane Dawkins doing the riding honours in the absence of current leader and stable first-choice Reyan Lewis.
Race eight, run over the 1,000-metre straight course, won by Phenomenal One (2-1), was the second of two wins each on the 10-race programme for Parchment and DaCosta.
Featured on the card was another renewal of the I’msatisfied Trophy, in which the frontrunners failed by over four lengths to resist the finishing speed and power of Richard Azan’s Perfect Brew over the last 200 of the 1200 metres.
To close the card half an hour later, champion Dawkins confirmed a riding double aboard Nakamura (6-5) declared by Errol Burke to claim the trainer’s seventh success for his barn from 38 starts this season.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Ryan Darby for the return to form of Delay The Game, who finished a combined 199 lengths behind in its last 10 starts and had seemingly lost the zest for racing, but executed the Best Winning Gallop. Kerry-Gayl Robinson earned his first Jockeyship Award for his confident display aboard Fearless Soul as he made the assignment look much easier than it was in reality.