SHEER Delight wrapped up his preparation for the US$250,000 Mouttet Mile next month with an encouraging win in the United Racehorse Trainers’ Association of Jamaica (URTAJ) Trophy feature race at Caymanas Park on Saturday, November 16, 2024.

The three-year-old, American-bred, dark bay colt — trained by Donovan Hutchinson and ridden by Christopher Mamdeen — dominated the Restricted Stakes contest for three-year-olds and upward.

Sheer Delight covered the nine-furlong and 25-yard distance (1,820m) in 1:57.1, splitting the fractions in 24.4, 48.2, 1:15.2, and 1:41.4.

Sheer Delight sat off the pace for most of the way before making his move, slipping down to third place behind Mack and Rome (Dick Cardenas) and Unruly Don (Raddesh Roman) while navigating the half mile (800m).

He surged to the front of the field while approaching the distance and hit the top of the lane with a strong lead. Sheer Delight then held off the fast-closing Captain Sparrow (Omar Walker) and Unruly Don (Raddesh Roman) by three-parts of a length.

“Sheer Delight was brought down by the owner [Jeremy Rachpaul] for the Mouttet Mile. This was his third run; his previous two runs he finished in third place on both occasions.

“I figured that he wanted to be stretched out and so I asked the owner to give me a run with this horse going nine furlongs and 25 yards. We sat down as a team and prepared this horse and he won,” Hutchinson told the Jamaica Observer’s Supreme Racing Guide.

“After his first two runs there weren’t any concerns about his potential. You know that horses can tell you when they are ready, and he was telling us that he was ready and so he delivered the goods,” Hutchinson added.

Commenting on the final time of 1:57.1 Hutchinson said: “Time only matters when you are in jail — and if you fret on it, you will be dead. So time doesn’t really matter, and the final time of 1:57.0 is okay with me. A win is just a win for me, that’s all.

“We will take it one day at a time. We are going back to the drawing board, fresh him up, and come again. All you need in horse racing is a little luck, and that’s all.”