Champion trainer Victor Cheeseman remains in pole position at the conclusion of the Barbados Turf Club’s second racing season which ran for ten race days – from May 10 to September 13 – at the Garrison Savannah.
With a season percentage of 16, Cheeseman had earnings of $188 098 accumulated through ten victories.
He opened the season with a treble, winning with Desert Man, Dunwiddat, and Kibu. That performance was followed by two double victories on days seven and ten.
Winning were the speedy, unbeaten juvenile Halle Rose and Voldemort who ran off with the Massy United Insurance Barbados Derby over 2 000 metres. Day ten saw imported juvenile Luckylucky Me and Sirius Black sealing off the championship for Cheeseman.
He achieved repeat wins with Sirius Black who took two feature races: the Saleh and Khatija Mohamad Memorial Trophy Condition Race and the Sale Graduates Champion Stakes & Trophy (weight for age) over 2 200 and 1 570 metres respectively.
The trainer with the most wins in the season, Richard Deane (15), continued his dream run while his 14 per cent win average saw him earning $166 772.
Deane stood out on day four where he achieved a treble with Who’s My Girl, Markos and Wild Cat Tea. That trio was his star group, each winning three times.
Amazingly, Deane won 13 sprint races, a whopping 87 per cent of his final tally. His other successes came at the 1 570 metres distance with Jamaica Moon and Just A Fashion who many believe will be pointed towards next year’s Gold Cup over 1 800 metres.
He also had one one-two finish with Jamaica Moon and Another Cool Cat as well as four double wins, on days one with Wild Cat Tea and Just A Fashion, day six from Midnight Run and Markos, day eight with Jamaica Moon and Markos, plus day ten with Late Bid and Wild Cat Tea.
He had the most wins of all trainers on any given day, four on the third day thanks to Local Speed, Gold Mine, Joshua and Lavani who surprised all at 30/1 when taking the Grade II – BTBA Breeders Stakes over 1 570 metres.
Settling for the third position with a win percentage of 17 was Boston John, who had 11 and a half wins, the results inclusive of a dead heat, which earned him $161 813.
John also managed a one-two finish compliments of Local Speed and Rahy Promise and three double victories. In addition, there were wins on day five with Easter Monday and Apparition, day nine with Lucky Adventure and War In Gun Site, and Local Speed and Joshua. His prized possession was the Stanton French-owned Local Speed who won three times.
Jonathon Simpson will be happy with his fourth position with earnings of $140 204 and a season percentage total of 12.
He had seven and a half wins, including two double successes. Those doubles on days two and eight were Janak’s Gold and Giovedi followed by Savoy and Janak’s Gold. Among other winners was Margarita.
A drastic behavioural pattern change by the Bill and Haley Blevins-owned Giovedi, who won three times, certainly was a breath of fresh air for the 12 per cent trainer. Giovedi went on to defeat the top rated 140-120 horses in handicap races, easily taking The Apostle (1 800 metres) and Trouble Maker (1 570 metres).
