FEATURED on the card and run as race seven was another staging of the Chairman’s Trophy.

Only five were declared but with seven-year-old 2023 Mouttet Mile hero Rough Entry (USA), reigning Horse of the Year Atomica at five years old, as well as Is That A Fact (USA) — a powerful, four-year-old colt and winner of six from 12 career starts in the small line-up — there were fascinating pre-race talking points.

As the gates opened, Is That A Fact (USA) was slowest to react but responded immediately to sprint up the clear path on the inner rails, disputing the lead with Rough Entry (USA) and with Atomica slotted uncomfortably in-between.

A sudden injection of pace and the proximity of Rough Entry (USA) and Is That A Fact (USA) produced an adverse reaction from Atomica which caused her to lose balance and ground 900 metres out.

Rough Entry (USA) accelerated to go clear, pursued intently by Is That A Fact, with Atomica being somewhat outpaced and recovering ground 800 metres from the finish.

Shamaree Muir on Rough Entry (USA) had the dubious luxury of several concerned glances behind with 400 metres to come, with
Is That A Fact (USA) edging closer. At the distance Muir ensured the hotly pursuing protagonist was denied the possibility of a run against the far rails.

Two-kilogramme claimer Jordan Barrett recognised the tactic and switched right to deliver a successful challenge 100 metres out, going on thereafter to score by just over two lengths. Jason DaCosta conditioned the lightly weighted
Is That A Fact (USA) to win at odds of 3-1. Atomica ran on late to get her nose in front of the tired Rough Entry (USA) on the line.

The opening event, run at 1200 metres, was won at odds of 13-1 by Pharoah It Is, ridden by four-kilogramme claimer Jawani Forbes for trainer Donovan Russell and thus issuing a warning that many lesser-fancied horses would be making it to the winners’ enclosure on the 10-race card. Surprisingly in front 800 metres from the finish,
Pharaoh It Is ran especially well inside the last 200 to score by just under two lengths.

Half an hour later it was the turn of the Alford Brown-schooled filly Don’t Tell Lou Lou (9-1), with former six-time champion Omar Walker in the irons to heap more misery on the form players. The little filly, after being hesitant at the start, sprinted to the early lead and controlled the early fractions, and though she had her lead threatened 150 metres from the end of the 1300-metre gallop, she ran gamely to hold an advantage of just a head when the winning post arrived.

Race three was won by 3-1 shot Rashid, the fourth-best fancied of the seven starters. Ahead from the start, the seven-year-old chestnut horse drifted to the near rails on the stand side to lose some ground but still scored by just over one length for the trainer/jockey combination of Errol Subratie and Chris Douglas. Bizarrely, four-kilo claimer Mario Chong, declared with 55.0 by trainer Jason DaCosta, weighed in over that weight at 62.0 kilos. Predictably Chong’s mount — the super-sluggish, American-bred Lion Of Ekati (4-1) — finished last but one, 28 lengths adrift of winner
Rashid.

Racing over 800 metres of the straight course and saddled by veteran Randolph Scott, Nuttin But Trouble (5-2), was also fourth-best fancied of the seven starters in race four. With the competent assistance of infrequently engaged Rudolph Paige, Nuttin But Trouble prevailed by a head in a competitive driving finish.

Interestingly, the minor point must be made that three of the most infrequently engaged reinsmen in Forbes, Douglas and Paige, with 13 mounts between them in 2024 to date, all won on the same day to open their seasonal accounts.

Saddled by Phillip Elliott, consistently placed Strike Smart (3-1), with Phillip Parchment up, was clear early and travelled strongly throughout to score by three parts of a length in the day’s fifth. Contested by a field of eight over 1820 metres on a wet track with a light downpour, these conditions proved advantageous to the front-running tactics executed by Parchment. Deserving of success,
Strike Smart, owned by B. A. L, came off three consecutive second places and a third place finish in his last four starts.

Over the 1000-metre straight course of race six, speedy Basiliscus (2-1), saddled by Joseph Thomas, racing into the wind over the 1000-metre straight course, won by two lengths for leading reinsman Tevin Foster to secure the first of two wins on the day.

Similarly, Babla (9-1), saddled by veteran conditioner Phillip Lee with Javaniel Patterson riding, relished the absence of wind resistance to reduce his stamina. Formerly trained by Richard Azan, Babla, a four-year-old chestnut colt, won by two lengths and a quarter.

In the ninth event, leading reinsman Tevin Foster had the second of his two winners on the day aboard the promising, Phillip Feanny-trained Amazing Force (USA) who came home three and a half lengths ahead of his nearest rival, returning odds of 9-5.

In the closing event KP Choice (Robert Halledeen), declared for an invincible gallop, outsprinted 10 opponents to score by nearly three lengths over the 1000-metre round course for owner/trainer Raymond Townsend.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Randolph Scott for the win by aptly named six-year-old horse
Nuttin But Trouble, starting for only the eleventh occasion. The Best Winning Gallop was executed by
Is That A Fact (USA), and Jordan Barrett’s confidence and tactical application earn the Jockeyship Award.