Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Apprentice Oral Bennett is led into the winners' enclosure aboard 40-1 outsider SIR CHARLES, in yesterday's feature, race number one in the second CTL Claiming Series, at Caymanas Park. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Writer
Competent apprentice Oral Bennett celebrated his 26th birthday with a shock victory aboard 40-1 out-sider SIR CHARLES in the feature race at Caymanas Park yesterday.
SIR CHARLES, the least fancied in the seven-strong field which contested race number one in the second CTL Claiming series ($210,000 and less) over 1300 metres, overpowered the highly fancied DON DON (8-5) in a tremendous stretch duel to win by a neck.
Owned and trained by Albert Chong, SIR CHARLES actually led a close-knit field from early before giving way to DON DON passing the 600-metre pole.
However, he kept up the pressure on the inside coming out of the home turn, forcing Dane Nelson aboard DON DON to go wide, at which stage the 6-5 favourite TYRONE SON straightened close up in third.
But hard as he tried, DON DON failed to repel the renewed challenge of SIR CHARLES, who responded nicely to the right-hand stick leaving the furlong pole to regain the lead midway through the last furlong, for a narrow victory.
Bennett, who is popularly called 'Cookie', secured five rides on the nine-race programme and being his birthday, told himself that he had to win a race to mark the occasion.
Big outsider
"I thought Showdown in the sixth race was the best of my mounts, but as it turned out I won aboard the big outsider.
"Most people didn't give me a chance aboard Sir Charles. But I knew he would run well in this small field if I was able to break him sharply. When I gave up the lead to Don Don, I noticed that he was still responding so I just threw the works at him in the straight and it did the trick," said Bennett.
It was the youngster's 12th win of the season and his 20th since he started riding on July 29 last year.
Meanwhile, leading jockey Trevor Simpson (38) extended his lead by four over second place Omar Walker (34) in the championship race, thanks to the last double comprising 6-5 favourite EXPLOSIVE PEAK (made all) for trainer Peter McMaster in the eighth race over the straight five course and 2-1 chance FIRE D TRAINER for leading trainer Philip Feanny in the closing straight five race. Both were repeat winners.
Apprentice Harriston Lewis (Moon Dancer, Rigged To Win) and Dane Nelson (Buck The Minister, Exotic Glow) also rode two winners each, while new trainer Gary Griffiths, brother of five-time champion jockey Winston Griffiths, saddled his first winner in 5-2 chance MOON DANCER.
