Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterTHE HIGHLY-THOUGHT OF JACK SPARROW made amends for his near miss on his debut a month ago with an emphatic post-to-post victory in race two of the Pick-3 Super Challenge/TOBA Yearling Sales Series for native bred maiden two-year-olds over 1100 at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Installed a howling 1-9 favourite with leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths riding for 13-time champion trainer Philip Feanny, JACK SPARROW won by 7 3/4 lengths from 5-2 second favourite HEZA RANKING who chased him relentlessly into the straight before the winner's class impacted on the outcome.
LEADING BY A LENGTH
Unlike his poor start behind all-the-way winner JACK BE GOOD in race one of the series, JACK SPARROW, who was fitted with the visor for this race, broke smartly from the No. 2 post position and led by a length from HEZA RANKING under Clive Lynch, followed by HIGH ROLLER racing in touch.
JACK SPARROW turned for home with the hard ridden HEZA RANKING looming large on the outside. But Griffiths had other ideas and when he showed JACK SPARROW the fanning right-hand stick early in the straight, the bay colt by Outrigger out of Ruling Angel lengthened his strides impressively to put the issue beyond doubt, covering the distance in the fairly good time of 1:06.4 behind splits of 23.2, 46.4.
JACK SPARROW is co-owned by Paul Hoo and Paul G. Mouttet and bred by the HAM Stables Limited. His major objective is the $3 million Jamaica Lottery Company 2-Y-O Stakes over a mile on Boxing Day.
Earlier in the afternoon, the profound course specialist INSTRUMENTHAL (9-2) held on grimly by a neck to win the secondary feature for the Grooms' Association Trophy (claiming $260,000-$220,000) over the straight five course in a driving finish from the luckless THAT'S GOLD (3-1).
CLOSE CHASE
With Lynch riding for trainer Richie Todd, INSTRUMENTHAL chased the early leader and 4-5 favourite KINKOTSU LIU LIU at close range on the outside before taking over leaving the quarter pole, holding on dourly to record his fifth win from 10 starts this season.
On a day when the grooms of each winning horse received a gift basket from Supreme Ventures Limited, HE AIN'T HEAVY at 12-1 (running on late) with Lenroy Collins and the 4-5 favourite SOUTHEN DANCER (made most) under Rayan Wilson won the respective divisions of the CTL Stable Riders' race in contrasting fashion.
Returning champion jockey Trevor Simpson pushed his season's tally to 109 after booting home firm favourites VALID REASON and NATURAL PRINCE (made all) who just held on from the fast-finishing 8-1 chance MOST WANTED in the third race for three-year-olds over 1300 metres.
Racing takes a break on Wednesday to pave the way for the big Superstakes meet on Saturday.
