Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterTRINIDADIAN JOCKEY Brian Harding conjured a terrific late run from 8-1 chance MEDIC ON BOARD to win the fourth West Indian Thoroughbred Racing Association (WITRA) Classic in a thrilling finish involving three horses at Caymanas Park yesterday.
The $1.5 million graded race, contested by eight native bred three-year-olds over 2000 metres, saw the Wayne DaCosta trained gelding getting up in the nick of time to win by a neck from 14-1 chance SIR DONALD who in turn beat the third horse ROYAL RUN, a 35-1 outsider also saddled by leading trainer DaCosta, by a short head.
FROMRUSSIAWITHLOVE, winner of the Track Price 2000 Guineas back in April, placed fourth at odds of 7-2.
The big disappointment was the performance of this year's Triple Crown winner, SIMPLY MAGIC, who could only manage fifth in her first race since the July 6 World Talk St. Leger.
Installed a howling 1-5 favourite under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths, the classy front-running filly from the stables of champion trainer Philip Feanny, had a battle royal with another DaCosta-trained horse, BLACK THATCH (7-2) under leading jockey Trevor Simpson.
Although slipping away from her leaving the half mile, SIMPLY MAGIC was set up for the kill in a deadly relay when coming under pressure from ROYAL RUN (outside) and this year's Lotto Classic winner SIR DONALD (rails) approaching the distance. Both went by leaving the furlong pole and were engaged in a neck and neck duel when MEDIC ON BOARD (outpaced) fell on them like a ton of bricks within shades of the wire.
Owned jointly by DaCosta and Alexander Haber and bred by DaCosta, MEDIC ON BOARD, who was soundly beaten by SIMPLY MAGIC in the Red Stripe Derby and St. Leger mid-year, notched his fifth win from 15 starts this season. He is a chestnut gelding by The Medic out of the Exotic Traveler mare All Aboard.
In contrast, a disappointed David Willers, owner and breeder of Simply Magic, had this to say: "We just have to see how she comes out of the race before I can make any comment on this race or that pertaining to her participation in the Superstakes."
Meanwhile, Feanny and Griffiths had better luck with another Triple Crown winner, I'MSATISFIED, in the day's supporting feature for the None-Such Sprint Trophy over 1200 metres for top-class horses and is now a ready made favourite for the Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint over the same distance on Superstakes Day, November 9.
Toting top weight of 58kg, I'MSATISFIED (evens) disposed of long-time leader and favourite OWEN TAYLOR early in the straight and streaked away to an emphatic win in a field of six.
Simpson took the riding honours with three winners in PALMETO XPRESS (3-2), NUCLEAR POWER (2-1) and 3-5 favourite GOOD COMPANY to move to 138 winners, needing 29 more to equal George HoSang's 1974 all-time seasonal record. DaCosta and Richard Todd saddled two winners each on a day when the sixth race was abandoned following a false start.
