By Ainsley Walters, Staff Reporter
QUEEN HILL (centre) ridden by Anthony Baker, is about to go by long-time leader GENERAL VERRAZANO (second left) to win yesterday's 1500-metre George Price Memorial Cup feature race at Caymanas Park. QUEEN HILL was winning her second race in two weeks. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
FIT QUEEN HILL, hard-held by jockey Anthony Baker, bored to the lead a half-furlong out to win yesterday's 1500-metre George Price Memorial
feature at odds of 5-2 ahead of much-touted 9-5 chance GENERAL VERRAZANO.
Turning for home sixth among a bunch of horses chasing Joe Buchanan-ridden GENERAL VERRAZANO into the lane, QUEEN HILL darted into a space left vacant by the gelding drifting to mid-track and pulled herself to the lead, scoring a second straight win in two weeks.
GENERAL VERRAZANO, hard ridden by Buchanan, tried desperately to get back on terms but QUEEN HILL was travelling too strong and won pulling the proverbial train with Baker a mere passenger.
BAY SAVAGE stayed on for third after racing prominently throughout and PIK A TRIX completed the frame after looming large in third at the top of the straight.
Leading rider Trevor Simpson kicked off the sparse eight-race card with a wire-to-wire win aboard Wayne DaCosta's PRINCESS TALIA at 1000 metres round, his only victory for the day.
Later in the afternoon, Philip Feanny's two-year-old debutant, 4-5 favourite HERECOMESFUDGIE, was shaken up by Winston Griffiths to power home in the 800-metre straight sixth race for juvenile Maidens.
Richard Azan's ETERNAL STREAM led from the gate, darting right to bump into HERECOMESFUDGIE three stalls away. Tracked by HERECOMESFUDGIE switched to mid-track by Griffiths, the bay filly folded under pressure a furlong out as the big colt started lengthening his strides.
THE MINISTER, always prominent under Brian Harding, ran on to head off ETERNAL STREAM for second at the wire.
The day's major upset came in the seventh event when 7-1 INSTRUMENTAL made all under Wesley Henry to land the 1000-metre straight race, beating Charles Hussey-ridden 3-5 favourite MICHELKA.
Toting a featherweight 44 kilos, INSTRUMENTAL broke sharply and held his chasing rival back to the wire, making good use of a 23lb advantage. Not even a stewards inquiry, looking into Henry using drifting tactics inside the last half-furlong, could move his number.