Race one of 10, a Restricted Allowance IV event for horses five years and older with less than three wins, went to 9-2 bet Money Misson , with Bebeto Harvey at the reins. This, for owner/trainer Oral Hayden’s four-year-old filly, who was nearly four lengths better than runner-up Don’t Tell Lou Lou (3-5) with two-time and reigning champion Raddesh Roman in the saddle.

Forty-five minutes later, the Maiden Special weight for juveniles, run over four furlongs, went to a 2-5 bet debutant Big Stack (USA), ridden by Robert Halledeen for the first of his two wins and the second of three for trainer Jason DaCosta. The Restricted six-furlong Stakes for non-winners of three races ended with a three-length victory margin by 1-5 favourite Gallant Groom (USA) with the leading reinsman Tevin Foster astride.

DaCosta’s third trip to the winners’ enclosure and Halledeen’s second came in race eight. Fred The Master (USA), bet at 1-5, won the Restricted Allowance III six-furlong exertion for four-year olds and upwards, non-winners of three races by four lengths.

Interestingly, Hit N Run (7-1), formerly trained by DaCosta, was a near 10-length runaway of race four for jockey Demar Williams and conditioner Patrick Taylor over the 5½-furlong trip. Whisky, the 2-1 favourite in race five, declared by Byron Davis, was just over four lengths clear of the nearest of eight rivals valued at $1.5 or $1.2 million, with the 2022 champion Dane Dawkins at the reins.

Robert Halledeen winning aboard Fred The Master. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Race six, a 7½-furlong gallop for $750,000-$600,000 claimers, gave Roman the opportunity to demonstrate again why he is so successful. Asked by trainer Paul Hylton to partner Laban (3-1), a horse, who raced mainly over distances short of this trip, was last but two seven furlongs out, but stayed on well to arrive in the final strides to defeat 2-1 favourite Rags To Riches (USA) by a nose. Laban’s supposed stamina limitations were not evident here, with this tactic by Roman ensuring the first of his three successes on the 10-race card.

The featured Distinctly Irish Trophy race seven was an absolute runaway for Barnaby (USA), who returned a record-winning distance of 28 lengths for the extended nine-furlong circular course. Keeping this five-year-old horse race-ready has been a challenge for former three-champion Anthony Nunes, who saddled three winners on today’s card, but this performance must be particularly satisfying.

Ridden by Roman for the second of his triple, Barnaby (USA) started at odds of 6-5 and the runner-up
Don Kwesi was the 4-5 favourite. The Nunes/Roman winning trainer/jockey collaboration was completed in race 10. This was a one-mile gallop for maidens three years old. D. O. K. (3-5) won by 12½ lengths to confirm the triple success of the two highly professional horsemen.

The Training Feat Award is presented to trainer Paul Hylton for the conditioning of nine-year-old horse Laban to deliver the Best Winning Gallop with stamina and courage. Whilst Roman’s outstanding tactical application of his decisions is deserving of the Jockeyship Award.