By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterTHE 6-5 favourite UKNOWFATHERROACHE made short work of his opponents at Caymanas Park yesterday with a runaway victory in the one mile feature for the Alty McKenzie Memorial Cup (claiming $120,000 - $105,000).
Ridden by in-form Trinidadian jockey Brian Harding for Barbadian owner Elias Haloute and trainer Anthony "Baba" Nunes, UKNOWFATHERROACHE was early in the lead from 2-1 second favourite TROPICAL STAR and proceeded to make all.
The 4-y-o bay gelding by Exotic Traveler out of Nichole's Decision turned for home two lengths clear of TROPICAL STAR, TEMPTRESS and TERRAMIA, then lengthened his strides impressively to win by 7 1/2 lengths from TEMPTRESS with 26-1 outsider THE WHITE WITCH closing from last position to claim third in a field of eight. SUL EXPRESS (lame) was declared a late non starter.
UKNOWFATHERROACHE, who as expected was claimed for the bargain price of $120,000 after the race, was notching his first win in exactly 13 months, but since then he had been campaigning in much better company and was sparingly raced as well.
With leading trainer Wayne DaCosta and top jockey Trevor Simpson having a relatively quiet day for once, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta seized the opportunity to highlight the 11-race programme with two winners.
These were ISSEY MIYAKE at the rather generous odds of 6-1 in the fifth race over the straight five course, contested by only five runners, and GUNG TONG WAH who made all at 3-1 in the eighth race over 1100 metres.
Ridden by lightweight jockey Anthony Baker, ISSEY MIYAKE was always prominent along with her more fancied stable-companion PURE JOY (4-5 favourite), RUCKUS (1-1) and SELENA MYSTIQUE (10-1) on the far side. It was the least fancied SELENA MYSTIQUE who entered the last furlong a narrow leader, but in the end she was nosed out by a very game ISSEY MIYAKE, the winner clocking the smart time of 0.57.4 on a wet surface.
Following his back to back triple and four-timer over the past two race days, Simpson was restricted to only one winner, 3-5 favourite SIR KISSON LAL for trainer Richie Todd in the third race over 1100 metres.
However, his low-keyed effort was not as a result for lack of trying, as the two-time champion jockey had two near misses with 6-5 favourite TIME AND AGAIN who just failed to catch the 22-1 outsider TEMPUS FUGIT in the 9th and also with 4-5 favourite DANCE WITH THE CAT in the closing straight five race won by 8-1 chance KLASSY THIEF.
Simpson is still way out front in the standings with 68 winners -- 40 clear of closest rival Robert Reid who also rode one winner in 2-1 chance LAST DESIRE.
