REGAL SELECTION completed a hat-trick of feature race wins at Caymanas Park yesterday, the vastly improved four-year-old colt defying top weight of 57.0kg to win the Zaleucus Trophy (open allowance) over 1800 metres in decisive fashion.

Installed a howling 1-9 favourite with in-form Richie Mitchell riding for trainer Morris Powell, REGAL SELECTION raced very close to the pace from early as the flyweight GUIDING LIGHT (6-1) made most in the small field of six. REGAL SELECTION took on the leader from the halfway stage and after gaining the ascendancy entering the straight, kept on strongly (pushed out) to win by 2¹/2 lengths from GUIDING LIGHT.

Owned by the Houston Stables and, bred by the YS (1955) Limited, the four-year-old by Natural Selection out of the Exceptional mare Chie Liu Poo, ticked off his fourth consecutive win and his third from as many starts this season.

King's Plate

REGAL SELECTION had previously won the Fan Appreciation Day Trophy over 2200 metres on New Year's Day and the valuable King's Plate over 1500 metres on February 14.

Trainer Powell said he was pleased with the performance and having won back-to-back open allowance races with REGAL SELECTION, the sky's the limit.

"He has done everything right this season and this horse will definitely hold his own in grade one company. He will be aimed over middle and longer distances and, providing he remains sound, has more races to win before long", said Powell.

REGAL SELECTION was one of three favourites to score on the moderately supported nine-race programme. The others were the Carl Anderson-owned and trained four-year-old gelding STEEL DE CAT, who romped the fourth race over 1200 metres (non-winners of two) to be unbeaten in two starts, and Percy Hussey's three-year-old filly BELLA, who was a fighting winner of the three-year-old sprint with Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas again in the saddle.

Chris Armond

On a day when champion jockey Omar Walker failed to ride a winner, enabling arch-rival Dane Nelson (two winners) to cut his lead to three, the racing fraternity welcomed back former CTL vice-president of racing and promotions, Chris Armond, in his role as a new board member, this after a near 11-year absence from local racing.

Armond, who had been spear-heading the racing product in both Trinidad and Barbados, returned home recently, and only last Tuesday was appointed one of the seven new directors to the board of CTL.

Prior to the first race, the Racehorse Trainers' Association welcomed Armond with open arms in a brief function inside the Trainers' Room, chaired by Ronald Waite and attended by Portmore's mayor, Keith Hinds, Trainers' Association president Vin Edwards and the JRC chief vet, Dr St Aubyn Bartlett.