Nine years have seemingly sped by since Supreme Ventures Racing & Entertainment Limited (SVREL), a subsidiary of gaming conglomerate Supreme Ventures Limited, the preferred bidder of two, assumed the responsibility of promoting live horse racing at the Caymanas Park facility.

Against the background of being forced to operate with a hopelessly flawed racing product, delivered in a complicated claiming system model and with a horse population declining annually, the company has done as good a job as was possible under these adverse circumstances.However, the promoting company has not earned the trust of the stakeholders with their cult-like affinity to the profit-averse claiming system.

Truth be told, there is a general lack of understanding among this cohort of what is required for the efficient and successful promotion of this sport. The fact that a gaming product must be easily comprehensible to compete in a hugely competitive marketing environment is lost on these operatives.

With a rare programme of 11 races to be decided, the featured event was the eighth renewal of the SVREL Anniversary Trophy/Graded Stakes, run as race four over five and a half furlongs and which was supported by the International Women’s Day Trophy, staged on the extended, nine-furlong circular course as race 10.

Former three-time champion and currently this season’s leading conditioner Anthony Nunes saddled the winners of both events for a total of four on the day. Firstly, US-bred Of A Revolution, a 1-2 favourite and ridden by two-time champion Radesh Roman for a five-timer, cantered home by four and a half lengths in the Anniversary. Then secondly, Neo Star (4-5), ridden by Tajay Suckoo for his double success on the card, took the Women’s Day by two and a half lengths.

Christopher Mamdeen, the 2019 champion, opened the card aboard Ballistic Missile (6-5), declared by Joseph Thomas, for a seven-and-a-half-length romp on the straight course. Roman’s first came in race two, with the 11-year-old gelding Storm (3-5) scoring by two and a half lengths over the seven-and-half-furlong trip for trainer Adrian Prince.

Javaniel Patterson’s first of his double success and Nunes’ first of the four came aboard PapiUso (4-5) in the eight-furlong race three whilst Suckoo’s first of his double came in race five astride Michael Spencer’s Aliya’s Will (7-2), a debutant maiden filly who did nothing wrong and scored gamely by three parts of a length over the five-furlong round course.

For Patterson’s second, Patrick Taylor’s entry Restoration (9-5) was nearly four lengths the best over the five-furlong straight gallop of race six. Meanwhile, on the same course for Roman’s second, 12-1 shot He Stands Alone, saddled by Gary Crawford, was convincing with a margin of three and a half lengths in taking race seven.

Bowmore (USA), favourite at 1-2, was eight and a half lengths unchallenged to win the eighth, run at five and a half furlongs for Nunes’ third and Roman’s fourth. This dominant trainer/jockey combination was back in the winners’ enclosure in race nine. Nunes closed his four-timer, and Roman secured his fifth winner, with maiden three-year-old colt Ianzha Links (9-5), coming home a four-length distance over the seven and a half furlongs of race nine.

In race 11, what did Bebeto Harvey and Tevin Foster have in common as their mounts finished eighth and ninth, respectively? These were the only two accomplished jockeys securing rides in the field of 10, with the other eight going to apprentices. It was 41-1 against trainer Patrick Lynch’s four-year-old maiden colt Raging River who, ridden by Nicardo Carr, scored by a short head over the straight course to deny 7-5 favourite Alaeddin, saddled by former five-time champion jockey Winston Griffiths.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Patrick Lynch for presenting Raging River, a horse that was over 21 and 28 lengths, respectively, in its first two starts in November and December last year but was good enough to deliver today’s Best Winning Gallop. Nicardo Carr takes a first Jockeyship Award for his under-exposed skills, and hopefully, going forward, will get more opportunities.

Raging River (#9 Nicardo Carr) gets the better of Alaeddin (Emelio McLean). (Photo: Naphtali Junior)