After eluding punters for 10 consecutive racedays, the $13.4 million Pick-9 was cornered by nine punters, each receiving a cool $1.45 million.

With a massive carryover of $9.8 million, punters not only descended on Caymanas Park in droves, but off-track betting parlours in every nook and cranny of the island as well to get a piece of the action.

In the end it was not all that difficult to unravel, but yet again many were let down by a seemingly can't-lose favourite in DISTINCTLY IRISH, widely used as a banker in the penultimate race for The Viceroy Trophy over 1800 metres, contested by only four starters.

Favourites at feature races

In recent weeks the feature races have been a graveyard for favourites and DISTINCTLY IRISH, bidding for his fourth consecutive victory, fell victim to the lightly weighted second favourite LA REINA.

It is interesting to note that LA REINA was beaten on almost similar terms by DISTINCTLY IRISH on the two previous occasions they met on June 23 and July 21.

This time around apprentice Carlton Malcolm rode a cheeky race from in front to get 'The Irish' off his game plan, winning by 1-1/4 lengths and surviving a stewards' inquiry in theprocess.

It is understood that over 100 Pick-9 punters were sitting pretty going into this race but the vast majority used DISTINCTLY IRISH as a banker and paid the price.

Only three Pick-9 favourites - MICHAEL POWER (6-5), DUE PROCESS (3-5) and BLACK RIVER (7-5) - were unsaddled in the winners' enclosure, but none of the remaining winners were difficult to spot. The longest-priced winner was in fact the Donovan Bruce-trained PERFECT STEP, at 7-2, in the Knutsford Park Cup supporting feature.

Also among the winners was the remarkable grey gelding NASATOL (5-2), who defied top weight in the open-allowance straight five race to record his 18th win from 45 career starts.

- O.C.