Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

DESPITE RUNNING into the rails leaving the quarter pole, super fit MAJOR MAYER (7-2) romped the 3-y-o and up open allowance feature for the Zaleucus Trophy over 1800 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday, ticking off a hat-trick of wins in the process.

Ridden as usual by bang-in-form jockey Richard 'Biah' Mitchell for trainer Michael McIntosh, the free-running 4-y-o gelding won by all of 6 1/4 lengths from 5-2 chance PITTACUS, who in turn had 2 3/4 lengths to spare over 5-1 shot CHADMAN in third.

The big disappointment was the performance of the howling 3-5 favourite ALLIEDFORCE, who was soundly beaten into fifth place in the six-strong field. The 2006 Governor's Cup (Lotto Classic) and St. Leger winner was unable to go the fast early pace set by CHADMAN and MAJOR MAYER, eventually plodding home a poor fifth, prompting his apprentice rider, Andre Martin, to say "The pace was just too fast and it wasn't coming back."

The two front-runners returned splits of 47.3 for the half mile and a brisk 1:12.4 for the first 1200 metres. The mile was credited to the winner in a very fast 1:37.2 with an impressive final time of 1:51.1. Indeed, MAJOR MAYER could have taken off another second had he not darted into the rails, nearly dislodging his rider, on entering the straight.

CHADMAN led narrowly from MAJOR MAYER on the rails, followed by a five-length gap to PITTACUS outpaced in third by the first two with the others some way behind.

MAJOR MAYER made a decisive move on the rails leaving the half mile, grabbed the lead on the inside 700-metre out, and after turning for home four lengths clear of CHADMAN, defied a near-act of God to win easily.

This was his third consecutive cup race win, his streak beginning with the Royal Dad Trophy over the circular nine course last October and the Ash Wednesday Trophy over 1300 metres forovernight allowance horses on February 21. By Sir Lal Bahadur out of Tee Vee Gee, MAJOR MAYER, who was bred by Henry W. Jaghai, not only completed a double for Mitchell and McIntosh, but owners T.Y.S. Stables as well. The owner and trainer had earlier teamed up to win the sixth race with 12-1 outsider QUEEN TAMARA, who made all convincingly over 1100 metres with lightweight jockey Peter Bryan aboard.

Mitchell secured his second double in successive race days with an easy victory aboard odds-on favourite PRINCE NATHANIEL for trainer Garrett Arscott in the opening race over 1500 metres.

PRINCE NATHANIEL was one of five favourites to score on the 11-race programme. The others were the impressive 3-y-o filly OUTFITHER in the second, SEA CRACKERS in the third, NUMERO UNO in the fifth and classic aspirant STRONG HOPE (seventh) who had to survive a lengthy stewards' inquiry.