Powered By Wassy wins Ashenheim Mem

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

POWERED BY WASSY, running as the 1-2 favourite with Panamanian jockey, Dick Cardenas, riding for his Guv'nor Richard Azan, squandered the opposition to win the 2-year-old maiden condition race for the Richard Ashenheim Memorial Cup over 1500 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Racing in the silks of former champion owner, Alexander Haber, 'WASSY' powered home by 5 1/4 lengths from 30-1 outsider SIR SOUTH who was racing for the first time in the colours of owner/trainer Gordon Lewis. Ten ran.

The 5-2 second favourite REGAL RUN, who raced prominently into the straight, decked his rider (Paul Francis), leaving the quarter pole, but at that stage was losing ground. This mishap resulted in a stewards' inquiry, but nothing came of it.

Prominently placed in third as the 31-1 chance ZARA led from A&S EXPRESS (7-1), POWERED BY WASSY moved down on the bridle leaving the half mile to assume the lead. He turned for home with a lot in hand and only had to be pushed out by Cardenas for an emphatic victory, his first from three starts.

Bred by Clayton Rowe, POWERED BY WASSY is a dark bay colt by Outrigger out of Lady With A Tude. According to Haber, he will next run in the $4.25 million Supreme Ventures Jamaica 2-Y-O Stakes over 1600 metres on Boxing Day.

Cardenas, who is speaking English much better these days, described POWERED BY WASSY as a "nice two-year-old with much scope"."He's a good mover ... I believe presence of visor helped him to lift performance today and I looking forward to riding him again," said the bang-in-form rider, who in winning the Triple Crown and Superstakes aboard MARK MY WORD, not to mention the Gold Cup aboard HAIL THE GENIUS on the previous Saturday, has surpassed all riders in major races this season.

Winston Griffiths, in winning all five classics in 1992, has come the closest, but he lost the Superstakes aboard the Triple Crown winner MILLIGRAM to his illustrious stable companion, THE VICEROY, under the great George HoSang.

The two other trophy races on the 10-race programme saw 3-4 favourite WILLINSTON with ''Country' Francis aboard coming through at the final bend to win the Joseph Armond Memorial Trophy over 1820 metres, while Tony Kirlew's SKY FORCE (Robert Stewart up) at 10-1 outfnished the 4-5 favourite GUAN YU to win the Paul Newman Memorial Trophy (claiming $450,000-$400,000) over 1600 metres.

On a day when eight favourites obliged, champion jockey-designate, Omar Walker, notched his 100th win of the season aboard odds-on favourite BRASH AND SASSY, while trainer Noel Ennevor posted two winners in WILLINSTON and the two-year-old debutante RHINESTONE COWBOY at 20-1 with 4.0kg claiming apprentice Fabion Jones aboard.