Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

Connections of MAJOR MAYER (Richard Mitchell), including trainer Michael McIntosh (right), celebrate with the Megaphone Superstakes winner after his stunning victory at Caymanas Park yesterday. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

MAJOR MAYER, running at odds of 18-1 with customary rider Richard 'Biah' Mitchell aboard, turned the form book upside down at Caymanas Park yesterday with an upset victory in the MegaFone Superstakes over 2000 metres, this in a driving finish from last year's winner, MIRACLE MAN.

Owned by T.Y.S. Racing Stables and trained by Michael McIntosh, who was posting his first grade-one winner, MAJOR MAYER, coming off a fast-time runaway victory over 1500 metres on October 13 in open allowance company, beat a star-studded field in the 29th running of the prestigious invitational race which offered a total purse of $4.5 million.

He was held just off the early pace in third as this year's Derby winner, THE BOMBER (Andrew Ramgeet up), led narrowly from the 7-5 second favourite MIRACLE MAN with Florida-based Jamaica jockey Allen Maragh in the saddle, as the 11 runners sorted themselves out in the early stages.

The order remained the same as they turned into the backstretch, with this year's St. Leger winner, RUM TALK, racing much earlier than he would have liked in fourth position, followed by the 6-5 favourite DISTINCTLY IRISH under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths.

Bided his time

With THE BOMBER and MIRACLE MAN disputing the lead at the halfway stage and DISTINCTLY IRISH ridden to go third passing the half mile, Mitchell sat and bided his time aboard MAJOR MAYER, who had dropped back to fifth/sixth on the inside rails at this stage.

MIRACLE MAN, having forged clear leaving the 600-metre pole, turned for home with THE BOMBER coming back to regain the lead, with DISTINCTLY IRISH and the 99-1 outsider GOOD COMPANY both looming on the outside. But by then, MAYOR MAYER had made good headway to be within striking distance of the leaders and, getting the inside run he relishes so much, came through on the rails early in the last furlong, but had to be driven out to win by three quarters of a length from the Allan 'Billy' Williams-trained MIRACLE MAN, who failed in his bid to win the race for the third consecutive year.

The Wayne DaCosta-trained GOOD COMPANY, who finished fourth last year, ran the race of his life to finish another length away third, while THE BOMBER faded into fourth, with DISTINCTLY IRISH a disappointing sixth.

Bred by many-time champion Henry Jaghai and groomed by Ashley Powell, MAJOR MAYER is a four-year-old chestnut gelding by Sir Lal Bahadur out of Tee Gee Vee. This was his fifth win from 11 starts this season and his ninth from 30 career starts, with total stakes of $5.3 million.

Distance concerns

Though elated with the win, 'Richie' Mitchell had one concern coming into the race.

"I felt the distance was a little too long an he is basically a pace horse, I decided to let The Bomber and Miracle Man dictate matters by sitting and waiting just off the early pace," Mitchell said. "I got a good run into the straight and, when I saw The Bomber tying up on the lead, Miracle Man drifting out and Distinctly Irish not carrying through his effort, I knew I would win leaving the furlong pole.

"He loves running along the rails and I just had to keep him up to the work for the biggest win of my career," said the 35-year-old jockey.

The trainer, on the other hand, said the horse was in tip-top shape coming into the race and he was confident of victory, given the necessary racing luck.

On a day when leading jockey, the apprentice Omar Walker (80 wins), rode three winners to increase his lead to 15 over closest rival Trevor Simpson (65) in the jockeys' championship, 2-5 favourite MUSICAL MAESTRO, with Simpson riding for owner Howard Hamilton and trainer Dwight Chen, ran on strongly to win the $2 million MegaFone Caribbean Sprint.

The MegaFone Mile for imported horses was won by the Gary Subratie-trained FIRST IN THE SAND (5-1) with Ramgeet up, while evens favourite MR. SKILL made all in the $1 million MegaFone Juvenile Sprint over 1300 metres, with Dane Nelson riding for DaCosta.