Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer
PRINCE OF LAW (Andrew Ramgeet) walks back to the winners' enclosure after scoring a two-length victory in yesterday's New Year's Day Trophy event over 1300 metres at Caymanas Park. The United States-based Ramgeet had a three-timer on the ten-race card. His other winners were OH NO GRANDPA in the second and MAGDALA in the third. - photo by Colin Hamilton
NATURAL DESIRE, a late 5-2 plunge, yesterday landed the gamble for trainer Lawrence Freemantle by outbattling 3-5 favourite AD INFINITUM to win the 11-furlong CTL Fan Appreciation Day Trophy race for Overnight Allowance horses.
Proving that his prominent effort in November's Red Stripe Superstakes was no fluke, NATURAL DESIRE, who opened at odds of 12-1 before dramatically shortening in the betting, raced fourth just off the pace down the backstretch under jockey Dalton Brown, stalking AD INFINITUM in third place.
When Shane Ellis asked Anthony Nunes' AD INFINITUM to attack the leaders SWEET SOUTHERNGAL and SOPHIA four and a half-furlong out, Brown sent a willing NATURAL DESIRE in chase of the 2005 Jamaica Derby and St. Leger runner-up.
As the pair peeled away from the chasing pack, Ellis, trying to relax his mount just off the rail two and a half-furlong out, was caught napping by Brown, who pushed NATURAL DESIRE down to the rail and launched his attack off the final turn.
Ellis tried hard to have AD INFINITUM make a copybook turn to deny NATURAL DESIRE an inside run but Brown already had his mount in flight and full of running.
AD INFINITUM, who, last year failed to reproduce the form he showed as a three-year-old, again let down his backers as he tried in vain to get back on terms with NATURAL DESIRE.
Ellis tried hard over the final half-furlong to stage a rally but NATURAL DESIRE, who raced as low as $350,000 claiming last August but put in a capital effort in the Superstakes - finishing ahead of AD INFINITUM - was not for catching and won by a length and three-quarter.
Freemantle's big-race win plus victory in the 1200-metre third race with MAGDALA had him sharing training honours on the day with Desmond Shand and Patrick Fong, who also started 2007 with two winners.
Fong opened and closed the 10-race card with 4-1 shot WESTERN WONDER BOY and 13-1 outsider RAZZAK respectively, both ridden by Ellis.
Shand, who won the 1100-metre second race with OH NO GRANDPA, completed his double with PRINCE OF LAW in the 1300-metre New Year's Day Trophy. Both were ridden by United States-based Andrew Ramgeet, who won three races on the programme, to share riding honours with Ellis.
Third winner
Ramgeet's third winner was MAGDALA whereas Ellis' was POORLITTLERICHBOY for Godwin Bucknor in the seventh over a mile.
Pick-9 bettors had another rough day, which was also highlighted by the failure of punters to spot even the easier Super-6.
In addition to AD INFINITUM failing as a banker, outsiders such as 9-1 stinger MAGDALA, SIR CHACHA BABA at 18-1 in the sixth, POORLITTLERICHBOY at 5-1 in the seventh and RAZZAK, at 13-1 in the night pan, crashed all bets.
A huge Pick-9 carryover of $4.37m awaits bettors on Saturday whereas the Super-6 carryover stands at $754,877.25.
