RACE DAY PREVIEW FOR SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2025
THE featured Seeking My Dream Trophy condition event over seven and a half furlongs attracted a field of 10.
This included imported Commandant (USA), Desert Of Malibu (USA), Tiz Toz (USA) and Is That A Fact (USA).
The local breeders, in terms of class, were represented by Atomica (2nd) and Run Julie Run (4th). The race, scheduled as the ninth and final, was run following heavy showers that rendered the track sloppy, officially.
Starting at odds of 8-5 favourite and toting 126lbs, Commandant (USA) relished the underfoot conditions and was always travelling best of all to score by two and a half lengths over Atomica.
In his post-race interview champion reinsman and season leader Raddesh Roman, who had two winners earlier in the day, revealed that it was just a matter of getting a good position early on the Rohan Crichton-conditioned machine.
The first double of the afternoon was included in Roman’s triple, with the opener over a five-and-half-furlong gallop going to lightly raced Bushfire (3-1). He scored by a two-length victory margin for trainer Anthony Smith on behalf of owner Paul Lumsden.
After finishing fourth, racing for a tag of $1.0 million and claimed on May 3, Tigray Express (4-5), declared by owner-trainer Peter-John Parsard for $500,000, duly won the seven-furlong race two by nearly seven lengths, with Roman’s assistance surplus to requirement.
Used infrequently, 9lbs claimer Calvin Bailey had even-money favourite Successful Man, entered by Errol Burke, dominating the early fractions of the seven-furlong third event then staying on well enough to be over four lengths clear when the gallop ended.
Seven-year-old maiden Last Hoorah (9-1) won the straight gallop of the fourth by just under four lengths, with promising claimer Evertte Clunis executing the riding skills to close the stable double for Byron Davis.
Boasting a career record of 13 wins from 32 appearances, game and consistent Emperorofthecats (2-1) — bred, owned and trained Carl Anderson — won up the five-furlong straight course for Reyan Lewis, the 2023 riding titlist.
Twelve three-year-old maiden fillies lined up for race six. Paul Francis aboard No Apology (12-1) had her in front soon after the start. No threat emerged over the seven furlongs as she was clear by four and a half lengths for jockey-turned-trainer Joseph Thomas.
The end of race seven over the straight course confirmed the stable double of Byron Davis. He tuned up Midnight Flight (9-5) whose last race was on February 25 this year, and through wonderful conditioning registered a hard-fought victory by a neck in the exactingly competitive five-furlong straight gallop of race seven, with claimer Demar Williams at the reins and in front throughout.
Popular reinsman Phillip Parchment — one of the best and most hardworking, feared even by his most accomplished fellow professionals with respect to his athletic ability — drove Kem (6-1) to an all-out victory by just over one length.
Saddled by Paul Swaby, the five-year-old chestnut horse was not the best off at the weights but responded gamely to Parchment’s sustained determination.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Byron Davis for the performance of Midnight Flight to qualify for Overnight Allowance status after 15 starts to date, and for executing the Best Winning Gallop. Parchment takes the Jockeyship Award for another display of balance, strength and expert application of the mental discipline required.