The Richie Todd-trained filly RAGING FURY is eased down by apprentice Andre Martin to win the Eight Thirty Sprint over the straight five course by four lengths at Caymanas Park yesterday. She won at odds of 7-2. - Colin Hamilton/ Freelance Photographer

RAGING FURY kicked off the season's 3-y-o classic campaign leading up to the April 7 1000 and 2000 Guineas in fine style at Caymanas Park yesterday, landing the Eight Thirty Sprint for maiden fillies over the straight five course.

Running at the generous odds of 7-2 with smart apprentice Andre Martin aboard, RAGING FURY, who was having only her second outing, made all in mid-track to win by four lengths from 9-5 second favourite ISLA under leading rider Javour Simpson with third going to the highly fancied TAKE FIVE (5-2) with Oneil Mullings up and fourth to the marginal 9-5 favourite TANTESOLDE from the barn of veteran Hall of Famer Allan 'Billy' Williams.

GRACE MARIE was declared a late non-starter, reducing the field to 11.

RAGING FURY was well away from the number six position and quickly established an early lead over the debutante TANTESOLDE, followed by MISS CREE and TAKE FIVE racing on the far side.

RAGING FURY galloped on to the main track about two lengths clear and full of running, and only had to be rolled over by Martin in order to beat rivals into submission.

Owned by Cayjam and trained by Richie Todd, RAGING FURY is a bay filly by Al's River Cat out of the Texas Prospector mare Bold Fury, bred by the Orange Valley Estates Limited.

Hampered on debut

She was woefully unlucky to be beaten by DR. BADOO over the straight on her January 6 debut when hampered by the third horse MAGIC MOMENT (a winner since) in the last furlong. She was scoped by the trainer, administered Lasix for the first time yesterday and simply blew them away. Meanwhile, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, after making a quiet start to the season, exploded yesterday with four winners (all heavy favourites) on the 10-race programme to assume his rightful place atop the trainers' standings.

His winners were the classic aspirant MARK TO MARKET who romped the opening race for three-year-olds over 1400 metres, the sparingly raced 4-y-o filly BELLA IN BLOOM in the third, BULLET TRAIN in the fourth and GOOD COMPANY who romped the eighth race over 1600 metres for overnight allowance horses, this after going past the leaders AZULI and SIR KHAN leaving the half mile.

Both BULLET TRAIN and the even-money favourite GOOD COMPANY were ridden by 'Hall of Fame' jockey Charles Hussey who shared the riding honours with 18-year-old Andre Martin with wins aboard RAGING FURY and the Joseph Thomas-trained TOWER OF POWER (5-2).

Despite a 17-1 upset by DUST ROCK in the closing race for $160,000 claimers, the Pick-9, which had eluded punters for the past nine racedays, was eventually cornered by four punters - each receiving a whopping $2.7 million.