Staged as the fourth of 10 races, the renewal of the She’s A Maneater Trophy, an Open Allowance contest to honour one of the greatest thoroughbreds of all time, winner of 25 races from 31 starts, attracted a field of six for the eight-furlong exertion.

The handicaps were headed by 2024 Horse-of-the-Year and Mouttet Mile winner Funcaandun (USA) at 126 lbs, five pounds more than the outstanding six-year-old mare, the Gary Subratie-declared Desert Of Malibu (USA), partnered by champion and 2025 runaway leader Raddesh Roman and nine to Eros Trophy winner Tiz Tok (USA), with the services of former champion jockey Wesley Henry secured.

Champion and leading conditioner Jason DaCosta, for the first of three wins, saddled four starters, including the Robert Halledeen-ridden Funcaandun, with 2024 2000 Guineas hero California Crown deployed in a pace-making role, and Is That A Fact (USA) and Mamma Mia making up the numbers.

Allowing the pacemaker to set the backstretch fractions, Desert Of Malibu assumed the lead over three furlongs out with Roman motionless. A hard-driven Funcaandun responded to chase the now-dominant Desert Of Malibu, but with a significant deficit of better than three lengths in arrears. Desert Of Malibu stayed on well entering the final furlong but was denied by a short head in the final stride. Champion Funcaandun at odds of 8-5, proved marginally the better at the weights.

Halledeen, in tandem with DaCosta for the trainer’s second, enjoyed a particular piece of good fortune in race eight. First past the post by over four lengths, Supremasi was relegated to fourth for intimidating and causing interference to a rival, with the race awarded to Prince Amaan (5-2). Carlton Watson, the 2024 champion, is the owner of both Funcaandun and Prince Amaan. All told, Halledeen had a triple on the day with 4-5 bet Xylophonic Steel winning the five-furlong straight race three for trainer Khary Tucker.

DaCosta’s triple success was confirmed in race nine with 7-2 bet Teflon Don (Reyan Lewis) owned by the trainer’s mother, Elizabeth DaCosta, making all to score by nearly three lengths. Both races over six furlongs were staged in memory of Don Wehby Sr. In an extraordinary coincidence, his son Don Jr, former chief executive of Grace Kennedy Ltd, a Government senator and owner of the all-time great thoroughbred Atomica, passed away that very evening.

The three-and-a-half furlong opening dash went to the three-parts-of-a-length winner, Silver Fox (7-2), with Shane Ellis executing the riding honours for owner/trainer Oral Hayden. Wesley Henry was aboard Basilicus (5-2) and scored by over three lengths from in front over the five-furlong straight course of race two for trainer Alford Brown.

Roman had his sole winner aboard Radam (9-5) in race six for trainer Anthony Nunes, the event was run at five and a half furlongs. Whilst race six went to trainer Dennis Lee’s Whisky (6-1) with claimer Demar Williams guiding the six-year-old progeny of
Savoy Stomp to a four-length winning advantage. Races seven and 10 over five and a half furlongs went to Firecracker (3-1) and
Pretty Sassy (9-5), ridden by Paul Francis and trained by Philip Feanny and Emelio McLean and Robert Pearson, respectively.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Jason DaCosta for the performance Funcaandun to defy top-weight and deliver the Best Winning Gallop in finding the speed, courage and stamina to defeat a very worthy rival in Desert Of Malibu. Robert Halledeen utilised his full skill set and experience to earn the Jockeyship Award for his handling of narrow winner Xylophonic Steel, as well.

Emelio McLean winning aboard Pretty Sassy. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

Teflon Don winning with Reyan Lewis aboard. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)