Fri | Sep 19, 2025

River Mumma romps feature

Published:Sunday | January 19, 2014 | 12:00 AM
RIVER MUMMA, racing for the first time with Richard Mitchell aboard, romps the feature race, the Eight Thirty Sprint for maiden three-year-old fillies over the straight, at Caymanas Park yesterday. She was a 5-1 chance.-Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

The debutante RIVER MUMMA, running at odds of 5-1 with Richard 'Bya' Mitchell aboard, won the Eight Thirty Sprint for maiden three-year-old fillies in fine style as the 3-y-o campaign leading up to the classics kicked off at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Trained by Paul Smith for owner Barrington E. Bernard, the attractive chestnut filly by Legal Process out of the Footloose II mare Lady Pooja raced in touch coming on to the main track before surging into the lead approaching the distance.

Although running off a true line towards the rails leaving the furlong pole, she lengthened her strides to win by 31/4 lengths in the fairly good time of 1:00.3. In the battle for second, the even-money favourite ALSO CORRECT finished in a dead-heat with the late-closing KABRINA (24-1) on the outside. Nine ran.

happy for the win

Winning owner Bernard said he was very happy for the win, as to some extent it made up for the death a month ago of his very promising 2-y-o colt MASS EDGAR, who succumbed to colic.

"River Mumma had a setback some weeks ago when she sustained a stone squeeze, and we had to rush her a bit for this race. Still a bit green, but she's clearly heading for better things, and her next objective is the Hot Line Stakes over six furlongs in February," he disclosed.

Earlier in the afternoon, the 3-5 favourite LIGHT BRIGADE, ridden by champion apprentice Shamaree Muir for trainer Fitzroy Glispie, made all for an easy win in the third race over 1300 metres for the James B. Dawes Memorial Trophy (claiming $450,000 - $400,000).

On a day when claiming apprentice Kuri Powell and champion trainer Wayne DaCosta shared the honours with two winners each, champion jockey Dane Nelson turned up overweight and did not ride as a result.

Significantly, three of his mounts - EXOTIC GOLD, PISCEAN ROCKET and 7-1 chance, TOURING WITH RHEA - won with substitute riders.

On a tough day for form players, both the Pick-9 and second Super-6 proved elusive. There was, however, some good news for punters as effective next Saturday, January 25 Caymanas Track Limited will roll back the unit value of the Pick-9 from $10 to $5.