Jockey Colin Ross guided his steed Sequin to a comfortable victory and the $250,000 first prize over the rest of the field in one of three feature races held at the Anjue and Hamlet Park, Branch Road, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara as part of their second anniversary celebrations Sunday.
- IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MICHAELS! Champioin jockey Michael Semple, left and champion trainer Michael Simms, display their trophies.
The once unbeaten and pre-race favourite Jumbo Joy suffered an upset by the lesser known Pinch de Cash in the first feature event of the day.
Competing in the second of three feature events, this time for C and Lower Class horses and covering a distance of 1,600 metres, Ross took his charge to the front alongside Getting Something and Spin and Squeeze during the first quarter of the race.
But after being caught by the main field, Sequin refused to be kept back.
He was given a free rein by Ross which he dutifully accepted and surged to the front from 800 metres to score a comfortable three lengths victory in the Banks DIH-sponsored event, leaving Spin and Squeeze ridden by Kumar Singh and Colin Drepaul who was aboard Luv You Dee in his wake in that order.
Spin and Squeeze collected $125,000 while Luv You Dee received $62,500 for placing third.
In the fourth race of the day sponsored by Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, Michael Semple rode Pinch de Cash to an upset victory over the more illustrious and once unbeaten Jumbo Joy ridden by Daniel Floris.
There was little `joy’ for Jumbo who had to settle for third place behind Tropical Passion, ridden by Paul Delph.
Pre-race favourite The Gap under the orders of Ross, rode his usual race in the 1,600-metre event, surging to front immediately after the horses were sent on their way, but was caught by Jumbo Joy who led the race until the turn for home.
To the surprise of all and sundry, except the horse’s owner, Pinch de Cash came from behind along with Tropical Passion to create an upset, ensuring his owners were $200,000 richer, while Tropical Passion collected $100,000 and Jumbo Joy $50,000.
The third and final feature event and the eighth race of the day, covered a distance of 1,000 metres for two-year olds Open Guyana and West Indian bred horses and, despite being run in semi- darkness, pre-race favourite Coconut Boy who, ridden by Ross, came back from the half way mark to not only win the race, but make his owners’ $200,000 richer.
Pixie Fire and Pleasure Star finished second and third respectively after surging to front when given the green light by the starter. But Coconut Boy ensured that he did not suffer the same fate as Jumbo Joy and The Gap before him.
Other race results showed Wonder Boy ridden by Semple starting the ball rolling in the day’s proceedings when he won the L Class and non-winners’ event which covered a distance of 1,000 metres from Rockya and Black Tricks respectively in commanding fashion, pole to pole.
Shue Shuemi, ridden by Delph, had to stave off a strong challenge before winning the I Class 1200 metres event from Blondie and Kavinci respectively, while Sweet Romance also had a pole to pole victory over It’s All Indian and Time Dancer respectively to take the $150,000 first place prize in the two- year-old non-winners’ event.
Channel Boy was also in the winners’ circle, when he won the J, K and Lower Class 1,200 metres race over Wonder Lite and New World, while pre-race favourite Sir Balajee failed to live up to expectations even though he went to front from the start. He was eventually caught and overtaken by the lesser known Alphabet who was under the whip of Delph.
Semple guided Sacrifice to second while Floris had a lot to do to ensure Sir Balajee occupied the third position. The final race of the day was run in darkness with Desmond guiding Rukia to the winners’ circle over Sunday Star and Blessed Child respectively in a closely fought encounter.
Semple won the champion jockey prize after picking up three first place finishes while Michael Simms was adjudged the champion trainer.
