ROBERT Halledeen, known as Hard Ball to his fan club, rode
Manny Slam (7-5) to a two-and-half-length success in the opening Maiden Condition event.

Saddled by Patrick “Wacky” Lynch, the four-year-old colt pursued 4-5
Princess Ifiyah (Raddesh “Sneaky Fox” Roman) to strike the front at 300 metres out.

That was Halledeen’s only success as he fell from his mount Chesney (USA) in race five and unfortunately took no further part in competition for the rest of the day.

Two of the popular reinsman’s remaining mounts, I am Fred (USA) and Super Alex, won their events comfortably, thus denying him significant commission earnings.

Race two, Division I of a 1300-metre contest restricted to native and imported filles, went to US-bred maiden Magnificent Force (1-5), ridden by title-pursuing Raddesh Roman for his first of a double.

This was also the first of a Philip Feanny stable double as half an hour later, at the end of race three, the former 14-time champion conditioner was back in the winner’s enclosure.

Also imported from the US, Rags To Riches (1-5) scored by just over a length in Division II to confirm Feanny’s double success and kick-start a four-timer for champion jockey Reyan “Action Pack” Lewis as well.

For the 1400-metre fourth event owner/breeder/trainer Fitzroy Glispie saddled his consistent four-year-old colt Money Miser (4-5) for career win number four from 14 racecourse appearances.

Ridden by Lewis to confirm his second riding success, the chestnut son of prolific winner-producing stallion Soul Warrior outclassed the opposition by nearly seven lengths over the 1400 metres, and has only failed once to make the frame while generating stakes earnings exceeding $6 million.

Speaking of owner/breeder/trainer, Carl “Django” Anderson saddled two winners on the day. Firstly, genuine and game Emperorofthecats (1-1), under smart handling from two-kilo claimer Richard Henry, won race five for $1 million tags over the 1000-metre straight course.

Then secondly, Aaron “Iceman” Chatrie benefitted from Halledeen’s mishap to partner Super Alex (5-1) to victory in race seven over 1500 metres, securing the Anderson stable double by just under three lengths.

In race six, veteran Oneil “Mullo Mullo” Mullings summoned his well-utilised experienced and skill set aboard aging mare Sunshine Cat (7-1) to land the 1300-metre event.

Saddled by owner Ian Alexander, the little 10-year-old chestnut, starting from the number two post, pursued the front-running 1-2 favourite Conundrum. Mullings secured a run against the far rails in the upper stretch, leaving Roman blameworthy for allowing the gap and being defeated by three parts of a length after a stirring stretch run duel.

Reyan Lewis achieved his third success as Halledeen’s misfortune was crystallised.

I am Fred (USA), saddled by Jason DaCosta, made all the running to beat stablemate Is That A Fact (USA) by over eight lengths in the featured 1100-metre Supreme Ventures Limited 23rd Anniversary Trophy.

Lewis confirmed his four-timer aboard Affair (1-1) for the first of a double for the Gary Subratie stable, in race nine over 1400 metres.

In race 10 Roman and Subratie, in tandem, closed with 6-5 favourite and promising debutant Justin Bigtime who won the 1100-metre gallop by over five lengths.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Ian Alexander for the presentation of
Sunshine Cat to execute the Best Winning Gallop. The victory was achieved with the superb deployment of tactical race-riding by O’Neil Mullings to earn the long-serving reinsman the Jockeyship Award.