Featured on the nine-race programme as the final event was another renewal of the Bonnie Blue Flag Trophy. The event attracted a field of 12 to contest the seven-and-a-half-furlong distance. Bred in the United States, this medium-sized thoroughbred for whom the race is named, did not have an auspicious start to her career.

However, she improved with time, became the top handicapper at five years and for her exploits was the first Horse-Of-The-Year in 1965.

US-bred even money favourite Geolithic, tuned by trainer Peter-John Parsard to produce form above what she had displayed before, had the Bonnie Blue Flag field in trouble inside the first furlong. Ridden by Ismael Velasquez, Geolithic (USA) held a clear lead one and a half furlong out allowing the rider the luxury of a glance behind. However, the five-year-old bay mare came under pressure but ran determinedly inside the last 150 yards to hold the lead safely by just over one length over 8-5 bet
She’s A Godgift (USA).

Still in training at 10 years old, 2017 Derby winner Drone Strike (1-1), owned and trained by Oral Hayden with former two-time champion Shane Ellis at the rein,s won the six-and-a-half-furlong exertion of the opening event by a half a length. Whilst champion jockey Raddesh Roman had the first of two successes on the card with Victor Williams’ Brenda Boy (5-1) arriving in the final strides to beat favourite
Titan Tempo (USA) by a half a length over a mile in race two.

Race three went to Gary Subratie’s four-year-old maiden Linstead Market (2-1) with recent Jamaica Racing Commission Riding School graduate Emilio McLean guiding the chestnut colt to victory by over six lengths at the end of five and a half furlongs for the opener of a stable double. As expected in race four,
Regnant (1-1) with veteran Paul Francis at the reins made all to score by four and a half lengths over the five furlongs round course for trainer Henry Harrison Jnr.

In the absence of Shane Richardson, as a pedestrian injured a day earlier in a hit and run incident, Richard Henry rode 22-1 shot You Look OK, trained by Everald Francis, to a near three-length over the four furlongs straight gallop of race five. Meanwhile, Equinox (7-5) saddled by champion Jason DaCosta with Robert Halledeen aboard led and remained clear to land race six over the maximum distance of the straight course by just under four lengths.

Favourite at 1-2, fractious and difficult to load maiden Runaway Star failed to live up to above average exercise gallops and could only manage to be fourth over the six and a half furlongs of race seven. A winner by five and a half lengths, Sensational Soul (3-1) confirmed Roman’s riding double and the second for the Subratie barn. Trained by Rudolph Hardial, 9-1 bet Princess Fianie took race eight by one length over six furlongs with Tevin Foster executing the required riding skills.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Rudolph Hardial for the return form of Princess Fianie. This little filly won last June and has been well behind in seven races since but ran gamely to produce the Best Winning Gallop with Foster taking the Jockeyship Award.