By Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer
COURT CASE (Ameth Robles) pulling clear of KING AL (Trevor Simpson) in the closing stages of the Easter Sprint Cup over 1100 metres, at Caymanas Park yesterday. Offering odds of 2-1, the 4-y-o colt is trained by eight-time champion Kenneth Mattis. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
FLEET-FOOTED COURT CASE shrugged off topweight of 57.0kg at Caymanas Park yesterday to win the overnight allowance feature for the Easter Sprint Cup in fine style.
Installed a 2-1 third favourite in the 1100-metre race for three-year-olds and up, COURT CASE, ridden by Panamanian jockey Ameth Robles, won by 2 1/2 lengths from 9-5 second favourite KING AL under champion jockey Trevor Simpson.
Finishing third, a farther half length away, was the 99-1 outsider PRETTYPRESUMPTUOUS, ahead of the 6-5 favourite DR. RSF (Winston Griffiths up) who was fourth in a field of 12.
It was last year's winner, THE BARBARIAN who was fastest away from the gates, but he was quickly joined by PUREJOY running fast on the inside rails, and ISSEY MIYAKE with COURT CASE and KING AL in close touch as they sorted themselves out.
COURT CASE quickly found his best stride and was ridden to join the leader PUREJOY leaving the 600-metre point.
Going through 500 metres out, COURT CASE turned for home some two lengths clear of PURE JOY, DR. RSF (wide) and KING AL and then proceeded to assert his authority under a strong ride from Robles.
He won convincingly in the fairly good time of 1:06.1. The 28-1 shot ABUELO decked his rider in the early stages.
Owned jointly by Yugeshwar Misir and Ivor Patrick and trained by eight-time champion Kenneth Mattis, COURT CASE has now won twice in succession since his owners renewed their association with Mattis - the original trainer of the 4-y-o chestnut colt by Al's River Cat out of World Of Light.
COURT CASE is bred by Ken Gooden.
SECOND WINNER
Robles had a second winner on the holiday card when the lightly raced 3-y-o grey filly, ROSE BUD won the straight five maiden race for three-year-olds in a driving finish from the Charles Hussey-ridden TO SIR WITH LOVE who came home strongly.
By Sir Lal Bahadur out of the 1990 One Thousand Guineas winner Fiord, ROSE BUD, who lost by a nose to THE RASTAFARIAN on her seasonal debut over the straight on March 28, is owned by Veronica Charlton and trained by many-time champion Philip Feanny.
Robles, who also won Saturday's feature race (Ambassador's Trophy) aboard SATISFIER, thus pushed his season's tally 18 to be fourth in the standings - 10 adrift of Simpson who followed up Saturday's three-timer with one winner in odds-on favourite JACK DE PRINCE for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta.
Also riding two winners were former champion Wesley Henry and Larris Allen.
Henry won aboard 3-1 shot THE RHYTHM DOCTOR (driving finish) in the fourth over the straight five course and came back to make all aboard 7-2 chance WILD CARD in the 10th and final. Allen rode back to back winners in 2-1 favourite NOWITSKI in the sixth and the Jackson Hong-trained AKIODA at 9-1 in the following race for $250,000 - $230,000 claimers, this over 1200 metres.
Always prominent as highly fancied RESTLESS PEGASUS (2-1) tried to make all under "Slicer" Simpson, AKIODA was produced from early in the straight. She eventually headed off RESTLESS PEGASUS midway the last furlong, and then held on grimly by a short head from the fast-finishing MAN OF STAR (3-1) on the outside.
GATLIN closed fast on the rails to finish fourth in a blanket finish.
