A first win for new trainer Captain Marlon Brown
WHEN Avenging Angel won the opening race on Tuesday, May 23, Captain Marlon Brown became the fifth trainer to win a race among the 39 who graduated from the Jamaica Racing Commission’s (JRC) Trainers’ Training Programme on May 12, 2023.
Avenging Angel was successful in a native-bred five-year-old and upwards (non-winners of two) and imported five-year-old and upwards (maidens) going 6½ furlongs (1,300m). Owned by Morris Myrie, Avenging Angel got home by a nose in a time of 1:25.4 (24.0 x 49.0 x 1:17.0).
“I am elated to win my first race as a licensed trainer. I mean, it has been a lifelong dream for me since I was going to preparatory school,” Brown told The Supreme Racing Guide.
“First I wanted to become an owner — which I did — and now I am a trainer, and I am just elated and over the moon. I have owned horses such as Three Queens, Tatty’s Bad Gal, Armyaveng Officer and Infantry Officer, just to name a few,” Brown revealed.
Ridden by Matthew Bennett, Avenging Angel wasn’t the best of the runners to leave the starting gates in good order at the off as the five-year-old bay gelding raced among the backmarkers and watched as My Smokey (Andree Powell) led Absolute Blue (Reyan Lewis) and Jaxson (Omar Simpson).
Avenging Angel came into view while navigating the half-mile (800m) turn, slipping down in fifth place. He turned for home well behind the leaders, but when all seemed lost Bennett produced his mount and the bay gelding got up in time to beat Another Champion (Raddesh Roman) on the line. Another Champion was later disqualified and placed third behind Magic Bullet (Roger Hewitt), who was promoted to second.
“I have 12 horses under my care now and the plan is to continue doing the hard work, being humbled, and hopefully winning some more races,” Brown said.
“My father took me to the racetrack one day to watch the Toyota Cup, and at the time it was Royal Lancaster. Since I came to the racetrack I just fell in love with horses; I mean, from prep school to now I am hooked on the sport. It was just love at first sight,” he shared.
