SEVEN years have sped by since Supreme Ventures Racing & Entertainment Limited (SVREL) took over the promotion of horse racing. To mark the occasion, an event run as race seven over 1,100 metres was staged.

The lightly weighted Yellowstone (Jordan Barrett), from the stables Alford Brown, beat his three rivals by all of six and a half lengths at odds of 2-1.

The opening event of 10 on the day was won by hard-knocking, seven-year-old, dark bay gelding
Cold Pursuit (3-5).

Ridden by Phillip Parchment for second-season trainer Oral Hayden, the winner was nearly eight lengths clear at the end of the gallop of 1000 metres straight, and was the first of several wide-margin successes throughout the afternoon.

Three-year old debutant J Spieth (3-1), a light-framed grey colt sired by Spieth with a conformation suggesting significantly more than a touch of stamina, outstayed six hapless rivals by eight and a half lengths.

The time of 1:37.4 for 1500 metres of the second event is hardly worth mentioning but this Patrick Lynch-schooled thoroughbred is likely to earn his keep by racing at middle and longer distances.

Race three had an unusual winner in the form of seven-year-old maiden mare of So Magnificent (7-1). Owned and trainer by former jockey Linton Calder, reinsman Everton Stone executed the riding honours with a successful late challenge to score by three parts of a length.

Raddesh Roman, back in the saddle after missing out last weekend, had the first of three winning mounts on the day aboard Michael Marlowe’s maiden filly
Sugar Sugar (4-5).

This was the 18th appearance of Sugar Sugar and she was always clear to score by nearly 10 lengths.

In race five, run at 1400 metres, Roman’s double was confirmed in even more emphatic fashion aboard Gary Subratie’s US-bred maiden colt
KD Strong (1-1), who delivered a front-running romp of 12½ lengths.

Gifted the sixth event, free-scoring Rohan Kabir (1-5) — winner of three of its last four races, declared by Gregg Fennell, and ridden by Phillip Parchment — was conservatively just under five lengths ahead of his seven predictably-inferior rivals over 1400 metres.

This demonstrates depth of the knowledge deficit relating to continued promotion of the horse racing product in an American claiming system format. This is staggering given its patently obvious flaws militating against the development of the local industry for 31 years.

There was an average of 10 per cent annual and 300 per cent cumulative growth in three decades of operating a handicap system (from 1960).

Since 1992 there has been nothing but a decline: From 115 runners and between 11 and 12 races per day to less than 100 and 10 per day, respectively, over the last three decades — and this against a background of significant population and GDP growth as well as a digital betting platform. For more facts, keep watching this space to be informed as to why the racing product is failing.

In the eighth event Storm (5-2), ridden by 2019 champion Christopher Mamdeen, despite racing well off the pace after a slow start was better than four lengths ahead at the end of the 1400-metre exertion. The winner, a nine-year-old bay gelding with a record of eight wins from 45 starts, was saddled by Oneil Markland.

Roman was presented with an opportunity to confirm his triple success and he executed confidently over the 1000-metre straight course.
Bootlylicious (3-5) — easily the most talented sprinter of her peers in her first season and early in the second — had an undisclosed setback and was well behind in The Portmore and 1000 Guineas.

Bootylicious won her final 2023 appearance on September 9 but reported well-trained for this race by Peter-John Parsard as she scored convincingly (albeit by only two lengths) over 2023 Derby winner and Mouttet Mile runner-up Ability.

The 2024 contest for the riding title is beginning to take shape, even with 10 months to go.

Tevin Foster had his second success on the card in the closing 1200-metre event aboard Salud (9-2) for trainer Ryan Darby.

Roman’s three-timer elevates him to 19 while Foster is now on 25, with both clear of Robert Halledeen in third on 11 and 2022 champion Dane Dawkins on nine.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Linton Calder for his perseverance with seven-year-old mare So Magnificent, racing for only the fourth occasion, to deliver the Best Winning Gallop.

The Jockeyship Award, therefore, is for Everton James Stone who brought back memories of his days as a good lightweight reinsman of four decades ago.