FAVOURITES ELEGANCE and HERBALIST won their respective co-feature races in contrasting fashion at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Contesting the $260,000-$220,000 claiming race for the Mortimer 'Morty' Heron Memorial Trophy over the circular nine course, ELEGANCE (2-1) staved off a late run from highly fancied SWEET JADE to win by half a length, but had to survive a Stewards' Inquiry for running down off a true line to the rails a furlong out, apparently causing interference to SWEET JADE on the inside.
APPROACHING
It was the well-backed SAID I SAID I who made most of the running from MR. LONGINO who went through approaching the 600-metre pole. ELEGANCE, who was held off the early pace by apprentice Patrick Henry Jr. for the first half of the race, made good headway to lead entering the straight (wide), but in the end had to be shaken up to hold the fast-finishing SWEET JADE (outpaced) at bay in the dying stages. Seven ran.
A 4-y-o chestnut filly by Liver Stand out of Irrisistible, ELEGANCE is owned by Raphael E. Gordon and trained by Howard Phillipps. This was her second win from 23 starts this season.
In-form apprentice Phillip Clunis, who was out of luck aboard SWEET JADE, made amends one hour later with a runaway victory aboard 3-5 favourite HERBALIST in the Restricted Allowance IV for the George Headley Jr. Memorial Cup over 1400 metres.
Owned by Jeffery Edwards and trained by Paul Campbell, the 4-y-o bay colt by Don't Blush out of Star Diplomat completed a hat-trick of wins. He was sent in chase of the early leader SAMMY MY GIRL (7-2) from soon after the start and after cruising through to grab the lead at the halfway stage, proceeded to win by all of 11-3/4 lengths from 2-1 second favourite RENEE'S STAR.
MASS JOE was declared a late non-starter, reducing the field to six.
Earlier in the afternoon, the knotty-looking high claiming race over 1400 metres resulted in a decisive victory for the Gary Subratie-trained WARREN B (5-1) who showed that his eye catching run (fifth) behind FORGOTTEN HERO in the Red Stripe Mile was a prelude to better things.
Outpaced for most of the way as the 9-5 favourite REJECT under champion jockey Trevor Simpson led narrowly from FRIENDLY EXPRESS and MY PAL DON, WARREN B made good headway to straighten several lengths off the pace in fourth.
CLOSED RAPIDLY
Ridden in earnest by jockey Paul Ramsay, the American 3-y-o colt closed rapidly on the inside to overhaul REJECT early in the last furlong, moving away to win 3-3/4 lengths. REJECT was caught on the wire for second by the fast-finishing RED GENERAL (3-1) in a field of eight.
The Kevin Mattis-trained 3-y-o colt GOOD TO GO (2-1) with Charles Hussey aboard, strengthened his hand for the upcoming Lotto 2-Y-O Stakes on Boxing Day when disposing of hot favourite HEARTOFAMAVERICK (made most) leaving the furlong pole to win the opening race over a mile.
On a day when the fancied horses held their own, including the 2-y-o debutante LADY KAYLA who ran on strongly to win the sixth, Clunis rode two winners (Herbalist, Sir Abbas Mangal), while 'Howie' Phillipps saddled two in Elegance and Sir Abbas Mangal, one of five favourites to score on the nine-race programme.
