By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterCHAMPION JOCKEY Trevor Simpson, slapped with a two-day suspension on Tuesday, ran afoul of the Stewards once again when his mount, ROYAL RUN, was disqualified after passing the post first in the Prime Minister's Stakes holiday feature over 2000 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.
ROYAL RUN, the 6-5 favourite in a field of seven top-class horses, passed the post 1 3/4 length ahead of 9-5 second favourite HERECOMESFUDGIE in the million-dollar race. But despite gaining the ascendancy under some torrid left-hand whipping from Simpson early in the straight, ROYAL RUN on the outside failed to keep a straight course approaching the distance, forcing jockey Wesley Henry aboard HERECOMESFUDGIE on the rails to switch his mount when the space tightened a furlong out.
The Stewards deliberated for more than 10 minutes before deciding to reverse the placings of the top two, enabling the Philip Feanny-trained 3-y-o gelding HERECOMESFUDGIE to chalk up consecutive wins and his third from his past four starts.
He had previously won the Cable & Wireless Mobile St. Leger, the season's final classic on July 5 when just denying stable-companion A KING IS BORN triple crown glory, and the Lotto Classic on May 17 when ridden by Henry.
Significantly, all three wins were over a distance of 2000 metres.
Although attracting some big names (Menudo, Millimetre, Satisfier), the race came down to a straight fight between HERECOMESFUDGIE (always prominent) and ROYAL RUN (held up) from the final bend, this after the rank outsider WITHALLMYHEART (84-1) had made most of the running. In the end the Stewards were forced to intervene.
HERECOMESFUGIE is a lightly-raced bay gelding by Law Of The Sea out of Hya. He is owned by Joseph "Fudgie" Duany who has again assumed the lead in the owners' championship with $5.8 million, ahead of Richard Azan and Ruth Hussey.
Earlier in the afternoon, the 2-1 favourite SEEMELATER held on by three-quarters of a length to foil a late run from 4-1 shot WARRIOR in the day's secondary feature, the 2003 Independence Stakes Trophy over a mile for $140,000 claimers contested by 12 starters.
Always prominent, SEEMELATER, disposed of long-time leader ROBOCOP a furlong out, was ridden by top apprentice Paul "Country" Francis for owner Nadon and trainer Ryan Darby whose father, Robert, saddled the runner-up.
Although the fancied horses held their own for the most part, there was a notable upset in the seventh race where the 26-1 outsider ANY REASON exploded in deep stretch to catch another outsider, the front-running NAVAHO TRAIL at 57-1 within shades of the wire. The 4-y-o filly was ridden by in-form apprentice Phillip Clunis for owner/trainer Deon Facey.
