On his 41st mount of the 2025 racing year in Jamaica that included only one winner, claimer Nicardo Carr takes a lot of credit for his handling of Amad Ali (4-1). Saddled by veteran Randolph Scott, the lightly raced six-year-old chestnut horse was off the pace early, but Carr conjured the appropriate response to lead in the final stride of the opening event over six furlongs to score by a head over favourite Casual Peach (3-5).

As it relates to winning rider Clive Lynch, race two over nine furlongs, with only a small field of six, had an unusual and interesting outcome. Alchemy Of Souls (2-5) fresh from a close second in the $3.75-million Winston Fanna Griffiths OD Trophy was ridden then by Lynch, who unluckily had to alter course inside the last 100 yards to secure a clear run. This undoubtedly led to defeat by a half a length.

However, ironically, in today’s event, the Reprieve Trophy staged as the secondary feature, Mr Lee, saddled by Lee Clarke, wore down Alchemy Of Souls to prevail by a neck. It was a superb display of tactical race riding by Lynch to secure win number 500 in his three-decade career. Dick Cardenas, the 2011 champion jockey, also celebrated a milestone with career success number 800 coming aboard length-and-a half-winner Midnight Flight (9-5), declared by trainer Byron Davis to compete in race nine over the five-furlong straight course.

Third-generation trainer Steven Todd posted 3-1 bet Train Of Thought (USA) fighting fit enough to win race three over the extended circular nine furlongs straight course. Ridden by 2022 titlist Dane Dawkins for the first of riding double on the day, the four-year-old dark bay filly outstayed 6-5 favourite Brenda Boy (6-5) by just over one length. Dawkins’ second came in race nine, the featured six-furlong Ron Ron Trophy in the form of Jason DaCosta’s game front-runner Miss Moneypenny (7-2), who lasted home by a half a length.

Imported juvenile Sir Don (USA), schooled by former three-time champion Anthony Nunes for the first of a stable double, could hardly have been more impressive in race four. This event is a Maiden Special Weight four-furlong dash for foals of 2024. Champion and 2025 designate Raddesh Roman, for the first of his riding double, sat, for the most part, motionless whilst the 2-5 bet Sir Don (USA) a well-conformed bay progeny of US-bred stallion Spun to Run executed a 10-and-a-half-length romp.

Roman completed his double success in tandem the Nunes stable with the tenth and closing event, run at six furlongs going to Playfair ( 3-2), who was all out for a winning margin of a half a length. Whilst 2024 Jamaica Racing Commission Riding School graduate Tyrese Anderson arrived well inside the final furlong aboard Rowan Mathie’s maiden Giant Vigorous (11-1) to win the four-furlong straight race five by a neck.

Meanwhile, not to be outdone, claimer Demar Williams, of similar status to Anderson, deployed admirable riding acumen to win race six, run at six-and-a-half furlongs astride Manny Slam (9-5) for trainer Patrick Lynch. Long-serving reinsman Ian Spence needed more than a fair amount of his experience and skill set to secure victory by a half a length. This in partnering trainer’s Paul Swaby’s Shine For Me (4-5) over the five-furlong round course to win race seven over the five furlongs round.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Lee Clarke for the return to form of Mr Lee, who was a 17-length winner over seven furlongs as a juvenile last November, but hardly raised a gallop in six subsequent outings prior to today’s success in delivering the Best Winning Gallop. The majority of the races had close finishes; therefore, riders Raddesh Roman, Nicardo Carr, Demar Williams, Tyreese Anderson, and Ian Spence were in the conversation but with all the criteria considered, Dane Dawkins is the recipient of today’s Jockeyship Award.

Train of Thought (Dane Dawkins) winning ahead of Brenda Boy (Robert Halledeen). (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Playfair (#7-Raddesh Roman) gets the better of Abreathoffreshair (Demar Williams). (Photo: Garfield Robinson)