Phareal defies topweight in feature

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

PHAREAL made amends for his disappointing run behind stable-companion RAKKADASH in the Jockey Club Stakes on the previous Saturday with a decisive win in the circular nine feature for the Calvin O'Sullivan Memorial Cup (overnight allowance) at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Sent off at odds of 5-1 in a field of six, PHAREAL ridden by leading jockey Ramon Parish under topweight of 57.0kg, won by 1 3/4 lengths from another 5-1 chance FRIENDLY EXPRESS, who had half a length to spare over 10-1 chance PRINCESS AKEEM in third.

Fourth went to the 3-5 favourite ECSTATIC, a stable companion of PHAREAL. Despite running under the postage stamp impost of 46.0kg, the grey filly ran below expectations and her fate was obvious when hard ridden in fourth and not finding much from the final bend.

It was the lightly weighted FRIENDLY EXPRESS under apprentice Kerry Perry who led at a fast clip. She was chased by PHAREAL from soon after the start, followed by ECSTATIC and PRINCESS AKEEM racing off the pace in third and the 8-5 second favourite ALEX'S PEGASUS in fifth.

FRIENDLY EXPRESS was still the leader entering the straight, but by then PHAREAL was right on his heels to set the stage for a straight fight between them. But despite giving away lumps of weight, PHAREAL was to prove the stronger.

He went by early in the last furlong to win in the fairly good time of 1:56.2, as FRIENDLY EXPRESS held off PRINCESS AKEEEM for third over the last 100 metres.

This was PHAREAL's fourth win from 12 starts this season. Bred by Ham Stables Limited, the three-year-old bay colt by Royal Minister out of the Airgator mare Honesty had previously won the Prince Consort Guineas Trial Stakes on March 1, but could only manage fourth in the Track Price 2000 Guineas three weeks later, this won by his highly thought of stable-companion MILLIMETRE.

MILLIMETRE, meanwhile, racing for the first time since winning the season's final classic the July 7 World Talk St. Leger in an epic duel with his Derby conqueror AWESOME POWER, showed scant respect for his four opponents to win the Starter Handicap I & II over 1500 metres by five lengths.

Installed a 1-9 favourite with title chasing jockey Charles Hussey aboard, MILLIMETRE tracked the leaders CRUSADER'S SHIELD and MEDICAL KARAMBA for the first half of the race before disposing of CRUSADER'S SHIELD entering the straight.

The 3-y-o colt by Royal Minister out of the 1990 Oaks winner Millford Sound then turned it into an afternoon stroll, winning by five lengths from stable-companion BODY & SOUL.

The day's secondary feature for the Winnie Anglin Memorial Cup for two-year-old fillies, over the round five course, saw the 2-1 second favourite ZULU PRINCESS with Richie Mitchell riding for trainer Wayne DaCosta, running on strongly to catch and beat long-time leader PEARL OF MY HEART (7-2) by 1 3/4 lengths, with 1-5 favourite, Feanny's DEJA VU finishing a well beaten third on this her debut.

Clive Lynch stole the riding honours with three winners in Champagne Crew, Nuclear Power and Runn Buzz Run, while Feanny and Desmond Shand saddled two each.

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