Ainsley Walters, Staff ReporterIT WAS a stroll in the park for MIRACLE MAN in the West Indian Thoroughbred Racing Association (WITRA) Classic, a match race against ROYAL COMMAND, but upsetters generally ruled the day at Caymanas Park, resulting in $1.6 million worth of carryovers to Tuesday's 11-race holiday card.
Horse-of-the-Year MIRACLE MAN, partnered by Allen Maragh, romped home by 22 and a half length in the opening event, the ill-fated WITRA Classic, a two-horse race with a whopping purse of $1.5 million, but which offered no win or place betting.
Punters who started doubles with MIRACLE MAN gleefully collected $34 for a $20 stake after 1-2 favourite LADY ATWAREE obliged in the second race.
However, things started going downhill for form players from the third, the opening Pick-9 race, when triples closing on 3-5 favourite DEVIL WOMAN were sent crashing by 72-1 longshot WIND JAMMER, who beat 6-1 choice TUNA SALOONA by a neck in a driving finish at 1200 metres.
SENDS BETS REELING
WIND JAMMER, who had finished third to last in her previous race and had even lost among bottom-of-the-barrel claimers prior to that, sent all Pick-9 bets reeling and was mainly responsible for the $1 million guaranteed Pick-9 carryover to Tuesday's Labour Day meet.
Up next was the 1500-metre Joshua Morrison Memorial Cup, widely expected to be won by 2-5 favourite HE'SLOOKINGGOOD, a 20-length winner when slamming maiden company late April.
Partnered by Wesley Henry, HE'SLOOKINGGOOD was chased and overhauled a furlong-and-a-half out by 7-1 outsider CHING SING, who beat 53-1 longshot FRANKIE MOREFIRE by almost three lengths.
HE'SLOOKINGGOOD, who appeared to have bled despite being treated with Lasix, finished out of the frame after weakening in the stretch run.
GOOD COMPANY, surprisingly sent off as the 9-5 second choice, duly made all to win the fifth race, a one-mile Open Allowance event, but most Super-6 players starting bets at the sixth event were again knocked cold when 6-1 outsider FORMULA ONE, partnered by Phillip Clunis, beat Simpson-ridden TOCUMEN by three-quarters of a length in a stirring finish.
DRAMATIC COLLAPSE
The Super-6 was further rocked by 13-1 stinger JACK BE GOOD, who exploded between DANCING SAM (7-1) and TIME OF MY LIFE (13-1) eight lengths out before dramatically collapsing at the clubhouse turn while being pulled up by Clive Lynch.
However, it was a happy ending for trainer Donovan Bruce and the four-year-old gelding's connections as he was revived after being doused by water collected from puddles left in the infield from overnight rain.
Surviving Super-6 bets went belly-up in the 1600-metre Gladstone 'Puckoo' DeSouza Memorial for the 10th race when 4-1 chance JACK DE FREAK stormed home to split GLORIOUS ONE (9-1) and PATAS DE FUEGO (10-1) at the wire, sending a $669,977 carryover to Tuesday's card.
Punters got a reprieve and some cash to return for holiday racing Tuesday when Chen's ASKAWOMAN obliged at 9-5 in the closing event over 1000 metres straight, a chance ride for Allen Maragh replacing Trevor Simpson.
