The 99th staging of the Jamaica St Leger and supporting Royal Dad Trophy over 10 furlongs and circular nine furlongs and run as races nine and seven respectively held centre stage on the Sunday programme of nine races. The latter is run annually in honour of the 1981 Triple Crown winner as the first to achieve this feat at Caymanas Park.

Tactically, how the St Leger was run led to an interesting outcome, which is easily explainable. First,let’s look at the final time of 2:14.0 with fractions of 25.4, 52.1, 1.17.0 and 1:44.3 to analyse the effect of this rather pedestrian pace. Except Shane Ellis on Sensational Soul (6-5) and Raddesh Roman aboard Burning Hedge (8-5), whose mounts need a strong early pace to run at later, most of the other riders doubted the stamina of theirs and hence the very slowly run first six furlongs.

On the other hand, I Dream Again (5-1) and Hansa (25/1), blessed with natural speed, were able to improve their positions and get into the front rank more easily than both Halledeen and Henry could have imagined once the serious run for home materialised. Bob The Builder led the slow gallop for six furlongs but succumbed to the enterprise of Henry aboard Hansa as the filly sprinted to the lead three and a half furlongs out.

Ridden with the appropriate restraint for five furlongs by Halledeen, I Dream Again quickened considerably to overhaul Bob The Builder as well to pursue the now dominant Hansa. She had the rest of the field, except wide-running and closing Burning Hedge (8-5), in trouble with two and a half furlongs to come.

Clear a furlong out, Hansa failed to garner the momentum to see out the distance and was beaten by the Jason Dacosta-conditioned I Dream Again by just under two lengths. Burning Hedge, a neck away in third, stayed on well enough to suggest that, on current ability and likely improvement, she will be hugely competitive in the 12 furlongs Jamaica Derby. Hansa is reported to have a serious injury and likely to be retired whilst Sensational Soul’s ninth-length fourth-place St Leger finish may just be an ‘off-day’.

The Royal Dad provided a runaway for the 2022 St Leger winner Blue Vinyl (1-2). Always in control, the Gary Subratie-conditioned six-year-old stakes earner of nearly $19.0 million in 30 starts, toyed with his five rivals before for the first half mile, then won by 14 lengths in a strong canter. This winner was the second on the day for champion and leading rider Raddesh Roman, who delivered yet another master class of “waiting from in front” aboard Errol Burke’s Alkebulan (1-1) in race two, run at five furlongs round, by one and a half lengths.

Contested on the five-furlong round course, the opening event of nine was won by 2-1 choice Dutchess, saddled by former three-time titlist Anthony Nunes. This maiden is a nice-looking filly, who will never develop the ability to match her looks. Dutchess was patiently guided by former six-time champion Omar Walker to lead 50 yards out for a winning margin of two lengths and a quarter.

Race three, run over four furlongs of the straight course, was won by 31-1 shot Ant’s Attack, declared by owner/trainer Ian Alexander and ridden by claimer Evertte Clunis to win by a length and a half. Whilst in race four, T Brady (15-1), running with claimer Eric Haughton from well off the pace of the five-furlong straight contest, arrived in the final 10 yards to touch off 1-5 favourite Jaguar (Robert Halledeen) by three parts of a length for trainer Michael Spencer.

Captain Phillip (5-1) was well ridden by claimer Garvin Harris to land race five for veteran trainer Barrington Dawes. Running on well from behind a strong pace to the top of the stretch, Captain Phillip, after a battle with
The Real Identity (2-1), prevailed by a half a length close home. Whilst popular veteran Clive Lynch, who returned to race riding earlier this year, won race six over five and a half furlongs from in front with Cherry Blossom (6-5) for trainer Colin Ferguson.

Race eight, over six and a half furlongs, was treated as a veritable precursor for jockey Shane Ellis and trainer Jason DaCosta, with important assignments in the St Leger less than an hour away. Moderate maiden colt
Star Quest (7-2), with a victory of a length and a half, gave this rider/trainer combination a confidence boost, but the outcomes, as pointed out above, were different in the Classic.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Jason DaCosta for the improvement in temperament and stamina of
I Dream Again to display the Best Winning Gallop. The Jockeyship Award goes to Robert Halledeen for another confident display of his skill set in a major race.