Typewriter wins King's Plate thriller

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

In a blanket finish involving five horses, the 2012 Derby and St Leger winner, TYPEWRITER, got up in the nick of time to win the eighth running of the King's Plate open allowance feature over 1500 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Installed a 7-5 favourite in a field of 10, TYPEWRITER, who was ridden as usual by Shane Ellis for big-race trainer Spencer Chung, won by a head from 3-1 chance REASONABLE PRESS under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths, with another head to 10-1 chance RIO COBRE with lightweight jockey Leo Miller aboard.

RIO COBRE finished only a short head in front of the fourth horse, TIMEFORARMS (7-1), with a similar margin to AVENTURA (9-2) in fifth.

Indeed, midway through the last furlong it was anybody's race, with the five principals spread right across the track. But under a powerful ride from Ellis on the outside, TYPEWRITER pulled it off in what is perhaps the most thrilling finish seen at the park in years.

It was the Wayne DaCosta-trained American horse RIO COBRE who led into the straight. He was chased by TYPEWRITER, AVENTURA on the rails and REASONABLE PRESS, with TIMEFORARMS outpaced a bit passing the half-mile.

Despite being suspect over the distance, RIO COBRE held the field at bay until well inside the last furlong. However, he was to unable to hold TYPEWRITER and REASONABLE PRESS at bay in deep stretch as the race went down to the wire.

This was TYPEWRITER'S second consecutive win from three starts this season and his seventh from only 10 career starts, with total stakes of $9.4 million.

The four-year-old bay gelding - by Western Classic out of Docs' Paladin - has only raced six times since winning the derby in June last year. He had previously won an open allowance race over 1820 metres on March 16.

Ellis, who on the previous Saturday partnered the Chung-trained SAINT CECELIA to a record-setting 13th consecutive win, said TYPEWRITER is yet another from the stable expected to make a big impression this season.

"He is definitely a class act and having won out of class and graduating to grade one company next time out, we'll be hearing a lot from him," said the second-generation jockey.

On a day marked by several upsets, Chung had a second winner on the card in PRINCE O'SHAUN, also ridden by Ellis. Also posting two winners were champion trainer Wayne DaCosta and Albert Chong.

CAPTION: In a spectacular blanket finish, TYPEWRITER (left), ridden by Shane
Ellis under topweight of 57kg, wins the $1 million King's Plate feature
over 1500 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday. He won by a head from
REASONABLE PRESS (second left) with Winston Griffiths up, the
front-running RIO COBRE (second right) under Leo Miller, TIMEFORARMS
(right) with champion apprentice Shamaree Muir aboard and AVENTURA
(partly hidden). - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer