It was on the second Saturday of March 2017 that Supreme Ventures Racing & Entertainment Ltd (SVREL) took advantage of the opportunity to assume responsibility for the promotion of live horse racing and the other revenue stream in the form of wagering, through simulcast, on races held outside of Jamaica. Hence, the featured SVREL Eighth Anniversary Trophy run over 5½ furlongs which was staged as the seventh on the programme of nine races.

Favourite at 4-5, 2024 Guineas hero, the lightly weighted California Crown, missed the break but was driven to a narrow lead on the inner rails with speedy five-year-old-mare Bootylicious in high-pressure pursuit.

Both negotiated the turn for home wide to race in mid-track. Dane Dawkins, the 2022 riding champion kept US bred four-year
Digital One (9-2), saddled by Gary Subratie, running on strongly on the far rails to overtake the battling leaders inside the last furlong then going on to score by just over five lengths.

Being International Women’s Day, there was a secondary trophy event over nine furlongs and 25 yards for Overnight Allowance campaigners.

Geolithic (USA) had her rivals in trouble as she led out of the clubhouse turn to turn clear of her eight rivals seven furlongs out. Turned out in invincible condition by trainer Peter-John Parsard, jockey Ismael Velasquez was allowed the luxury of several glances over his shoulder in the home straight as Geolithic at odds of 10/1, remained clear to score by five lengths.

The opening event over seven furlongs was won by the 8-1 shot Zion’s Princess, entered by trainer Gary Griffiths, to score by a length and a half with Tevin Foster opening a riding double. Three-year-old maiden Ricoricorico (USA), saddled by champion Jason DaCosta, was three lengths and a quarter ahead at the finish of race two over five furlongs round for champion jockey Raddesh Roman to maintain his early lead in the 2024 title race.

Solo Black (10-1), declared by veteran Lawrence Freemantle and guided by promising claiming rider Tajay Suckoo, wore down dominant leader The General (1-2) to gain the ascendancy inside the last 50 yards to win by a length at the end of the gallop over nine furlongs and 25 yards of race three. Foster returned to the winners’ enclosure after maiden Brahma Bull (1-5) proved to be the first of three wins on the day for former three-time champion trainer Anthony Nunes. This, with Brahma Bull’s victory in race four over six furlongs.

Wilson (2-1), partnered by claiming jockey Demar Williams, won the seven-and-a-half-furlong race five by two lengths for trainer Roy Matthews.

The second for Nunes was 23-1 outsider Golden Syrup, a near seven-length winner of race six run at six and a half furlongs with claiming reinsman Shane Richardson in the stirrup irons. Former two-time champion Shane Ellis had the honour of confirming the Nunes three-timer aboard 5-1 chance Smart Trick who scored in the closing event by a length and a half from in front.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Lawrence Freemantle for the return to form of Solo Black, who having released his maiden tag late last September, was behind by 153 lengths combined in his last seven appearances but here, overcame being hemmed in for a while from five furlongs out to deliver the Best Winning Gallop under Jockeyship Awardee Tajay Suckoo.

In the next column on these pages, there will be a review of the eight years of SVREL’s tenure in terms of achievements and shortcomings.