ON a day when former champion jockey Joseph Buchanan had a rare visit to the winner's enclosure, Racing Pools players found it difficult to achieve maximum 32 points during last Saturday's game.
However, four punters with 31 points had something to smile about sharing the category two first dividend prize of $63,857.60 declared, each receiving $15,954.40.
Their efforts at 32 points went up in flames as early as the second race when Buchanan produced the 18-1 shot GENTLE INVADER with a well-timed run in the straight to win the 1200 metres contest by three-quarter lengths from howling 4-5 favourite MAGIC DANCER with Andrew Thomas aboard.
A breakdown of the other prizes is as follows:
36 second dividends of $506.80 each for 30 points.
170 third dividends of$53.60 each for 29 points. No fourth place dividends were declared.
Sales totalled $368,586.50 on 1918 coupons - up slightly from $352,772.50 the following weekend.
Carryover is $178,523.90
Other hard to spot winners were TARQUIN JOE at 7-1 in the first Pools race and CHINUA at 5-1 in the sixth Pools race where the Charles Hussey-ridden SEDUCTION was widely used as banker. SEDUCTION, trained by the jockey's brother, Percival, was relegated to a disappointing fourth in a race where champion trainer Wayne DaCosta's charge CHINUA won from stablemate NYAMINYAMI, who led for most of the 1100 metres event.
Of the four vouchers which came up with 31 points, a St. Catherine punter wagered the largest amount, his coupon valued $3,780. The punter, who hails from Braeton, used two bankers in AWESOME POWER and ROYAL CONNECTION and both easily obliged.
Interestingly, ROYAL CONNECTION went off as the second choice favourite -- this as a result of her poor fifth place finish on September 9 when backed as an overwhelming 1-9 favourite with Hussey. This time ROYAL CONNECTION made no mistake, winning quite easily over 3-5 favourite GOLDEN PEA with hot jockey Shane Ellis. Third went to 12-1 debutant BRAINSTORMING from the camp of Willoughby Simpson. She ran on strongly up the lane and is one to keep an eye on.
AWESOME POWER with Ellis, highly used as a banker, justified the confidence placed in her winning by over five lengths from 10-1 shot AKIODA.
The least amount spent among the category two winners was $243 by another St. Catherine punter, who also used AWESOME POWER and ROYAL CONNECTION as bankers.
Other popular winners were STAR TREK at 9-5, DIXIE FLYER 7-2 and SILVER WEDDING at 5-2.
By Melton Williams
Staff Reporter
