RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
GUIDING LIGHT, one of two winners for 'Hall of Fame' jockey Charles Hussey, wins the ninth race over the circular nine course ahead of the favourite I AM PAID FOR (out of pic) and the third horse PECKUS OUT at Caymanas Park yesterday. Hussey also won aboard EXCLUSIVE RUNNER.
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
BANG IN-FORM PRINCE MOHAWK made it five in a row at Caymanas Park yesterday when outfinishing 6-5 favourite TOCUMEN by a short head in the Colin Melhado Memorial Cup feature (claiming $240,000 - $210,000) over 1200 metres.
Going off at odds of 5-1 in a field of 12, PRINCE MOHAWK, with Kenyatta Davis riding for owner/trainer Dennis Lee, raced just off the early pace as TOCUMEN, under Paul 'Country' Francis, led narrowly from KERMIT, JETLYN'S DRAMA and Trevor Simpson's mount, WINNING MESSAGE.
PRINCE MOHAWK loomed large entering the straight and soon went ahead of TOCUMEN and WINNING MESSAGE. But the race was far from over at this stage as TOCUMEN rallied strongly on the inside to lead once again early in the last furlong.
In the end, however, it came down to a neck-and-neck duel with PRINCE MOHAWK getting the nod on the line with a head bob.
WINNING MESSAGE kept on well to finish another 1 1/4 lengths away third, heads on with the fourth horse JEYLYN'S DRAMA.
Since being claimed by Lee for $160,000 after winning over the straight course on December 14, PRINCE MOHAWK has won twice from as many starts for the trainer.
Bred by Alexander Haber, the 4-y-o bay gelding by Royal Minister-Princess Nerak scored a 12-1 upset win over his pet trip, the straight five course on Christmas Eve, this on a $200,000 tag. And yesterday he stepped up in class again to win on a $225,000 tag.
DOUBLE WINNERS
Davis, who also won the opening race for three-year-olds aboard 5-2 chance DANCING SAM, was one of three jockeys to ride two winners on the 11-race programme.
Four-time champion Charles Hussey booted home the Wayne DaCosta-trained American 4-y-o colt EXCLUSIVE RUNNER (1-1) in the fifth race over 1400 metres for open allowance horse and GUIDING LIGHT for his brother Percy in the ninth race over the circular nine course.
Larris Allen followed suit with a double comprising the the highly fancied 4-y-o debutante RED CHRISTMAS in the sixth race for maiden four-year-olds and up over the straight five course and 3-5 favourite SAINT COLUMBA in the eighth over 1100 metres for $160,000 claimers.
Recently dethroned champion Trevor Simpson failed to ride a winner and now takes a forced vacation, having been slapped with a three-day suspension by the stewards for careless riding (aboard Razzak), which takes effect from the next race meet on January 14.
Simpson, who will also miss the first mid-week meet on January 25, is scheduled to resume riding on Saturday, January 28.
Two notable performances on the card were turned in by EXCLUSIVE RUNNER who responded to a strong ride from Hussey to reel in the front-running favourite EXPLOSIVE PEAK (3-5) over 1400 metres, and 3-5 favourite LA REINA (Shane Ellis up) who won the straight five overnight allowance race in the smart time of 57.1 for trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes.
Her recent win streak was broken by none other than EXCLUSIVE RUNNER in a fast-run 1500-metre race for overnight allowance horses on December 14.
