THE 2022 champion Dane Dawkins had one of his best days of his storied career when he rode the first of five winners on the day, with The General (3-1) scoring in the opening event run at seven and a half furlongs. Saddled by Gary Subratie for the first of a three-timer for the stable, The General was the best by three lengths.

It was an immediate return to winners’ enclosure for Subratie and Dawkins in the second event, a Restricted Stakes over the same distance of the first. In fact, Subratie declared the first two to finish — with the 2000 Guineas winner of 2025, Sensational Soul (9-5) beating 24-1 shot ThousandTreasures (USA) by nearly four lengths for Dawkins to secure his second.

In race three, ridden by apprentice Emelio McClean, four-year-old maiden filly Baby Grey (1-2) changed this status with a 17-length romp for trainer Oral Chin’s second success from 10 starts since New Year’s Day. The race attracted only seven starters for the seven-and-half-furlong gallop.

This proved to be only a break from the Dawkins showcase, with race four going to Feeling Free (9-2) for his riding triple. The four-year-old colt outpaced 3-5 favourite Summer Palace by a length and a half over the five-furlong round course. Peter-John Parsard opened his seasonal account with this, the first of two on the day from the 12 declarations of the stable this year.

For Dawkins’ fourth and Parsard’s closing leg of his stable double, Lucy On The Go (2-1) was all outscored by a neck of the five-furlong straight of race five whilst over the same distance in race six, Restoration (2-1), ridden by claimer Jaheim Anderson, bested 14 rivals. Saddled by Michael Caine Jr, who doubles as the promoter’s race day previewer, Restoration was winning for the third time since being claimed for this stable in February of 2025, and won by a length and a half.

Winner of eight of its last 10 races for sundry trainers dating back to December 2024, Tigray Express (1-2), from the camp of Adrian Prince, was half a length in front of seven rivals at the end of race seven for the opener of a Tevin Foster riding double. Meanwhile, trained by Anthony Nunes, Canadian-bred even money favourite Miss Grove (1-1) was ridden to a one-length victory margin by two-time champion Raddesh Roman over the six furlongs of race eight.

The 2026 renewal of the Eight Thirty Sprint, a traditional event going back four decades and restricted to three-year-old maiden fillies, was staged as the ninth event in support of the feature. The trainer/jockey partnership of Subratie and Dawkins enjoyed visit numbers three and five, respectively, to the hallowed space of the winners’ enclosure, with Lexi Lou (7-5) always in control of the five-furlong straight gallop.

Featured on the programme of 10 events was another renewal of the George Hosang Trophy, staged in honour of the legendary reinsman who won titles locally and in Canada. Apprentice Garvin Harris got the benefit of replacing Jaheim Anderson who was injured, having fallen from an earlier mount, and rode Mack And Rome (3-1), saddled by Saqlain Roman, to a near-four-length triumph over the five-furlong straight course.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Michael Caine Jr for the performance of Restoration, a horse that is not easy to train but which delivered the Best Winning Gallop. The Jockeyship Award naturally goes to Dane Dawkins for a five-timer that required the full range of his skill set.

Miss Grove and jockey Raddesh Roman head towards the winners’ enclosure. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)