BLANKET?FINISHES?were the order of the day on Errol Barrow Day bank holiday at the Garrison Savannah, yesterday.
When the curtain came down on the Barbados Turf Club’s second day of the first racing season, this island’s top three creoles – Apostle, Show Me The Money and Zoom – had exploded in a dramatic finish.
On the good to soft track, last year’s Gold Cup winner Zoom sent a warning to challengers interested in capturing the 2012 Gold Cup he would be no pushover.
Superbly ridden by regular pilot Antonio Bishop, the Gay Smith-owned gelding captured the Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Garrison Turf Stakes and Trophy Condition race over 2 000 metres.
The son of Super Jeblar out of Flying Dove, trained by Edward Walcott Jr, recorded his third triumph in this event in the last four years by defeating more fancied Show Me The Money and Apostle.
At the start, Apostle led Show Me The Money, Silk N Satin, Zoom, Sea Gypsy, Kendal Moon and Leave It To Me, in that order. Fractions of 26.4, 50.1, 1:17.1 and 1:44.1 proved too stiff for any horse rated under 100 as the big trio moved ahead going to the three-furlong marker.
Clearly a three-horse race to the finish, Apostle was the first to give way mid-stretch, leaving Show Me The Money and Zoom to duel to the finish.
Zoom prevailed on the outside, much to the delight of his jockey Bishop, who punched the air in celebration as they stopped the clock at 2:09.4.
Under jockey Paul Eddery, Show Me The Money was second. Apostle, partnered by Jalon Samuel, was third, with Kendal Moon and Jonathon Grant back in fourth position.
Easily the most loved juvenile in Barbados, Aston Martin simply blew away his competition in the Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Breeders’ Stakes and Trophy over 1 570 metres.
Armchair pilot Reshaun Latchman settled the Mark Armstrong-owned and Victor Cheeseman-trained colt at the back of the field early on. Latchman pressed the go button at the three-furlong pole and with the issue never in doubt, Aston Martin speed past his Barbados-bred three-year-old rivals to claim the 1 570 metres event.
Galaxy, under Bishop continues to improve, getting up for second place. Capere, ridden by Kyle Carter, who had earlier contested the lead with early pace-setter Rickoshey, held on spiritedly for third while Rickoshey and jockey Paul Eddery faded to fourth.
Arguably the afternoon’s most exciting finish came in the Ichi Ban Handicap for four-year-old and older horses rated 105-130 and also open to horses rated 104 and below over 1 100 metres. Locked in battle at the top of the home stretch, the Sir David Seale-owned horse Preach To Me got up in a tremendous driving finish to deny Erados with Bishop aboard.
With a slender lead, Erados seemed to have it won but Preach To Me found that little extra to get the victory. Peaceful Envoy, with Samuel up, took third, with Dark Knight and jockey Anderson Trotman finishing fourth.
Jockey Antonio Whitehall was the star of the day as he recorded four winners – Between The Sheiks, Vapour Trail, Shared Adventure and Boo, in that order.
