Dennis CokeSIMPLY MAGIC, with Winston Griffiths aboard, easily wins the Courts Jamaica Oaks over 2000 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
SUPER SMART SIMPLY MAGIC turned the 63rd running of the Courts Jamaica Oaks into an aftermoon stroll at Caymanas Park yesterday, winning the season's third classic by 6 1/2 lengths from BLACK THATCH.
Ridden as usual by leading all-time classic winning jockey Winston Grifiths (his 34th classic win) for owner/breeder David Willers and champion trainer Philip Feanny, the fleet-footed 3-y-o filly by Royal Minister out of Fontainbleu made all impressively to chalk up her second consecutive classic win following her 14-length thrashing of BLACK THATCH in the April 1 Track Price Plus 1000 Guineas over a mile.
SIMPLY MAGIC, who notched her sixth consecutive win, will be put on ice - so to speak, before returning for the June 15 Red Stripe Jamaica Derby for which she is a hot ante-post favourite. On that day she will come face to face with the highly regarded 2000 Guineas winner FROMRUSSIAWITHLOVE who she beat into second place when they last met in the $2 million Jamaica Lottery Company 2-y-o Stakes over a mile last Boxing Day.
Installed a short priced favourite at 1-5 in the 2000-metre event, SIMPLY MAGIC was early in the lead from SIG SAUER (29-1) and BLACK THATCH (4-1) as they thundered past the stands for the first time. As the race progressed, however, she gradually opened up a commanding lead over SIG SAUER and BLACK THATCH at the halfway stage to turn for home about eight lengths clear of BLACK THATCH a clear second at this stage.
In the straight, she kept on strongly to win much easier than the official margin of 6 1/2 lengths indicated, covering the distance in the fairly good time of 2:08.4. BLACK THATCH, the mount of leading jockey Trevor Simpson, had 2 1/2 lengths to spare over the Feanny-trained SEXY (24-1) in a field of nine native bred 3-y-o fillies.
Meanwhile, Feanny had a second winner on the card when the lightly weighted MILLIMETRE (1-1) upstaged his illustrious stable-companion I'MSATISFIED to win the Lady Geeta Trophy over 1200 metres for 'A1' horses.
