TWO-TIME (2024-25) and reigning champion Raddesh “The Sneaky Fox” Roman answered his critics with a four-timer on the programme of 10 races. Truth be told, the accomplished reinsman has not been given any latitude by those who choose to support his chief protagonists — 2022 titlist Dane Dawkins and Tevin Foster whose 133 winners in 2024 failed by one victory to share that season’s riding honours.

In recent times, Roman’s critics and detractors have been uncompromising in their opinions of the riding tactics of The Sneaky Fox, especially when he doesn’t deliver in the close finishes. Be that as it may, Roman’s handling of 4-5 favourite Battle Angel, trained by Anthony Nunes for the opener of a stable triple, was exemplary in delivering victory by a half-length over the seven furlongs of the opening event with a late and well-timed challenge.

Second-generation conditioner Ryan Darby had an unusual and extremely rare thrill. In the second, run at seven and a half furlongs, his two entries — Oh My Gosh (10-1) and US-bred Bubblingbrownsugar (2-1), ridden by Demar Williams for the first of a double, and veteran Rudolph “Yellow” Paige, respectively — finished in a dead heat for first pace. Whilst Williams was the 2025 champion apprentice, no one could recall the year in which the affable and popular Yellow last rode a winner.

Roman’s second came in race three with Phillip Elliot’s Indestructible (8-5) scoring by one and a half lengths over the five and a half furlongs sprint trip. Race four was won by front-runner Good Conscience (3-1), saddled by second-generation horseman Robert Pearson for Tevin Foster’s fan club to savour the first of his riding triple with a three-and-half-margin victory.

At the end of race five, run over the full straight course, Roman was back in the winners’ enclosure as Radam (4-5) scored by one length to confirm the second for Nunes, a three-time former champion and a second-generation conditioner himself. Speaking of second-generation horsemen, race eight went to US-bred Ricoricorico (2-5), declared by four-time and reigning champion Jason DaCosta, with apprentice Shaheen Gordon performing the riding honours for a four-length success running over five furlongs straight.

Forty-five minutes later, over the four and a half furlongs of race six, Foster, for his second, was also back in the winners’ enclosure with 27/1 shot Briscoe, saddled by Andre Adams, three and a half lengths the winner. Foster’s triple-closing effort came aboard four-year-old maiden colt Black Ringo (9-5), saddled by veteran Barrington Dawes to win by just over seven lengths.

In race nine over the full straight course the Roman four-timer and Nunes’ stable triple were confirmed by three-year-old maiden colt Rockhampton (9-1). A progeny of
Wow Wow, the victory was delivered in a somewhat game effort to best nine rivals, including runner-up Eye Of TheTiger (1-5), trained by DaCosta. The featured Linval McFarlane Trophy, over six and a half furlongs for Overnight Allowance campaigners, was secured in a seven-length romp by 4-5 favourite
Don Kwesi in closing the Williams riding double.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Barrington Bernard for the progressive form of four-year-old Don Kwesi whose maiden victory came in September 2025, with the colt who has now won five of its last eight starts and qualified for Open Allowance company delivering the Best Winning Gallop in great style. Roman takes the Jockeyship Award as his four-timer required the full range of his skill set.

Don Kwesi (Demar Williams) is led to the winners’ enclosure after winning the Linval McFarlane Trophy. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)