Sport

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The progressive American filly FLUFFY duly made it four in a row at Caymanas Park yesterday, but was forced to do so the hard way, getting home in a driving finish from stable companion CHADMAN and the 2008 Superstakes winner AD INFINITUM.

Contesting the open allowance feature over 1600 metres, FLUFFY, with champion jockey Omar Walker riding for nine-time champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, was installed a howling 1-2 favourite, but had to be driven out to win by half a length on a sloppy surface caused by early afternoon showers.

She raced close up in third on the inside from soon after the start as THE GREYT DOCTOR (6-1) led narrowly from the highly fancied American horse SHANGHAI PASS for the first 600 metres.

FLUFFY and SHANGHAI PASS came through together at the half mile and both American-bred horses had a neck-and-neck duel into the straight, before FLUFFY disposed of him approaching the distance. Although swerving about passing the furlong pole, she held on grimly to win from 15-1 chance CHADMAN (prominent), who in turn had a neck to spare over the fast-finishing top weight AD INFINITUM (5-1) on the outside. THE BOMBER was declared a late non-starter, reducing the field to seven.

Full of fight

Walker said FLUFFY apparently disliked the sloppy going and darted about in mid-stretch when he applied the whip.

"But this filly has a lot of heart and she was full of fight in the closing stages, which enabled her to win yet another race," said the three-time champion jockey.

Owned jointly by Elizabeth DaCosta and Edmund Thomas, FLUFFY has won six races from eight career starts, having made her racecourse debut as a two-year-old last November, when beaten by RONRON.

"This win now puts her in the top class (grade one) with the big boys," said DaCosta. "We'll see how it goes when she runs again," he added.

Trainer Ryan Darby saddled three winners on the card.