Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

HOMBRE went wire to wire at Caymanas Park yesterday for an emphatic victory in the open allowance feature for the Nigel B. Nunes Memorial Trophy over 1820 metres at Caymanas Park, scoring at odds of 10-1.

Stepping up in class with a mere 48.0kg following his strong second to HONEYOFALADY over 1500 metres the previous Saturday, HOMBRE, running like a scared hare into the straight, won by 6 3/4 lengths from the 9-5 favourite AD INFINITUM in a field of 11.

Ridden by lightweight jockey Peter Bryan for veteran trainer Noel Ennevor and owner/breeder Wessel Burnett, HOMBRE broke well and proceeded to lead from BLUE MAGIC (14-1) and the highly fancied SHANGHAI PASS (5-2).

He quickened into a three-length lead over BLUE MAGIC, SHANGHAI PASS, TOBAGO and PRIME MINISTER leaving the half mile and after cruising into the straight with a five-length lead, kept on strongly under the right hand stick to win unchallenged.

AD INFINITUM, the 2008 Superstakes winner, found himself outpaced under two-time champion jockey Brian Harding, but finished with a flourish to pip the imported filly WAP (10-1) under Shane Ellis by a short head for second, with PRIME MINISTER (9-2) finishing fourth.

Third win this season

A four-year-old bay gelding by Pat N Jac out of the Slick Trick mare Muchacha Favorita, HOMBRE chalked up his third win from six starts this season and his sixth from 15 career starts with total stakes of $2.8 million.

"We should have won the week before then come back for this race, but this is a horse who loves running on the rails and he was kept on the outside by the jockey last week," said Ennevor.

"The good thing about running him then was that he reported even better for this race and duly made amends. His next objective is the Prime Minister's Stakes over 2000 metres on Independence Day, August 6," disclosed the trainer.

On a day when top jockeys Omar Walker and Dane Nelson both failed to ride a winner, back-to-form QUERIDA (7-2) came through on the inside a furlong out to win the day's secondary feature for the Violet Armond Memorial Cup (claiming $270,000-$250,000) over 1600 metres by 2 3/4 lengths from the fast-finishing MISS ATLANTIC STAR (48-1) in a field of 11.

The seven-year-old mare, who had won her previous race on June 24, was ridden by Devon A. Thomas for owner Dr Lynden Richards and trainer Steadman Curtis.

Five-time champion jockey Trevor Simpson and title-chasing Paul 'Country' Francis shared the riding honours with two winners each, Francis notching his 50th win of the season aboard 7-2 chance THUNDER STORM in the third race over 1100 metres.