Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Jockey Garfield Gordon stands tall in the saddle to celebrate his win aboard the 22-1 outsider CHINA TOWN in yesterday's Caymanas Park feature, race No. 4 in the second CTL Claiming series over 1800 metres. Trained by Ralph Porter, CHINA TOWN won by six lengths in muddy conditions. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
YESTERDAY'S RAIN-affected 11-race programme at Caymanas Park was marked by a number of upsets, among them CHINA TOWN at odds of 22-1 in the day's feature, race No. 4 of the second CTL Claiming series over 1800 metres.
Other outsiders to score were ALERT AT THE BRAVE at 54-1 in the fourth race over the straight five course, NATURAL GAL-LERY at 17-1 in a spectacular blanket finish involving five horses in the third race for two-year-olds and SHE'S A DIAMOND at 10-1 in the second race over 1500 metres.
Indeed, only two favourites were unsaddled in the winners' en-closure, namely, first-time runner THE GREYT DOCTOR at 1-9 in the opening race for two-year-olds and LANNY GIRL at 2-1 in the closing race for maiden three-year-olds over the straight five course.
Fancied horses
Many of the fancied horses, such as 9-5 favourite ROYAL KINGDOM in the feature, ap-parently disliked the sloppy conditions and finished in the ruck.
This was not the case with CHINA TOWN who raced close up under Garfield Gordon in third before disposing of long-time leader THUNDER CLAP ap-proaching the home turn.
Responding readily to the whip from early in the straight, CHINA TOWN streaked away from his rivals to win by all of six lengths from 3-1 chance MEDICAL ACCOUNT and the well-backed HEART'S CRY in a field of eight.
A 4-y-o bay gelding by Alisios out of Oriental Flyer, CHINA TOWN is owned by Warrington McLean, trained by Ralph Porter and bred by TOBA president Howard Hamilton.
Second win
This marked the second time that CHINA TOWN had won a race in the series this season, having scored over 1300 metres in the first series early in the year when trained by Donovan Phillipps.
Meanwhile, top jockeys Omar Walker and Trevor Simpson, both of whom appeared set to dominate the card, managed only three winners between them on a tough day for form players.
Simpson won the first race aboard THE GREYT DOCTOR but managed only one winner. And Walker had to await the last two races to ride back-to-back winners in FREE FALL at 4-1 for in-form trainer Robert Darby Sr. in the open allowance race over 1300 metres and LANNY GIRL for trainer Howard Jaghai.
FREE FALL made all convincingly to win by two lengths from the Simpson-ridden favourite CLASSY BOY PETE. His two winners pushes him to 73 - 12 clear of closest rival Simpson in their championship race.
Apprentice Javour Simpson, with two winners in the Paul Campbell-trained ALERT THE BRAVE and CASH PAT at 9-2 for trainer Richie Todd in the sixth, was the day's leading rider.
