HARDING
WITH FANCIED horses dominant at Caymanas Park on Saturday, the mushrooming Pick-9 failed to survive the day's racing, so too the Super-6.
The $3 million Pick-9, which had eluded punters for five consecutive race days, was caught by 55 persons each receiving $56,969. In contrast, there were 135 correct forecasts for the million-dollar Super-6 of $9,529 each.
Not bad considering that nine of the six races were won by favourites (including five odds-on favourites) and two by clear second favourites RIZZI LEE at evens in the fifth race for the Owen Silvera Memorial Cup where the American colt duly completed a hat-trick of wins and BUSTER JACK at the generous odds of 3-1 in the eighth race over 1200 metres.
EIGHT WINNING FAVOURITES
BUSTER JACK was ridden by champion jockey and current leader Trevor Simpson, who had a second winner in MEDICAL ACCOUNT, one of three winners for champion trainer Philip Feanny.
In all, the card produced eight winning favourites. Those coming under the Pick-9 umbrella were SCOTCHONTHEROCKS at 3-5 in the third, MEDICAL REPORT also at 3-5 in the fourth, MICHAEL POWER at
4-5 in the sixth, SEATTLE'S GIRL, another 4-5 favourite in the seventh, DANCING FLAMES at 6-5 in the ninth and ZICKWARTY at 4-5 in the 10th race.
The American-bred ZICKWARTY turned in a notable weight carrying performance (57.0kg) in winning the overnight allowance race over 1200 metres by a length from the fast-finishing INSATIABLE.
Ridden by Trinidadian jockey Brian Harding for co-owners Elias Haloute and Edmond Lam and trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, ZICKWARTY, who took over entering the straight, covered the distance in the fairly good time of 59.4 and the problems that affected him earlier this year now seem behind him.
Two other American horses turned in noteworthy performances. First of these was the improving RIZZI LEE (Wesley Henry up), who produced a terrific stretch run to win the Owen Silvera Memorial Cup feature in a fast 1:38.2 for a mile.
SEATTLE'S GIRL PULLS THROUGH
The other was SEATTLE'S GIRL, who responded to a typically powerful ride from three-time champion jockey Hubert Bartley, to win the seventh race over 1200 metres in a driving finish from highly fancied PLATINUM GLORY under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths.
In the case of RIZZI LEE, his performance clearly suggests that before long he will take his place as one of the best distance horses in the country, alongside reigning 'Horse of the Year' DISTINCTLY IRISH, ROYAL RUN, HERECOMESFUDGIE and GOOD COMPANY.
O.C.
