AHWHOFAH (Omar Walker) winning yesterday's feature at Caymanas Park. - photo by Colin Hamilton

The reigning champion sprinter AHWHOFAH turned in an impressive display at Caymanas Park yesterday to win the graded stakes feature over 1100 metres for the She's On Wheels Trophy under top weight of 58.0kg.

Going off at the generous odds of 2-1 with champion Omar Walker again in the saddle, AHWHOFAH stormed through a furlong out to win by all of 71/2 from her more fancied stable companion RACING MACHINE, the 3-5 favourite under in-form Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas.

Significantly, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta swept the first three places with his fleet-footed four-year-old gelding MR SKILL (7-2) finishing another two lengths away third in a field of five.

broke on top

It was the American filly RACING MACHINE who broke on top from the number one post position, but she was quickly joined by stable companion MR SKILL. Both featured in a terrific speed duel in the backstretch, but when AHWHOFAH cruised down on their heels (wide) entering the straight, the writing was on the wall.

She disposed of the leaders approaching the distance and streaked away for an emphatic victory, covering the distance in the smart time of 1:05.3 behind blazing splits of 22.3 and 45.3 for the half mile.

There was a stewards' inquiry resulting from the leader MR SKILL coming down sharply early in the straight to take the ground of RACING MACHINE on the rails, but nothing came of it. GOOD CITIZEN was declared a late non-starter.

Owned and bred by Winston Kong, AHWHOFAH has now won three grade-one races from six starts this season. The four-year-old bay filly by Royal Minister out of Executive Profile had previously won the UBA Sprint on Derby Day, June 13, and the Lady Geeta Trophy over 1200 metres on April 25.

DaCosta said AHWHOFAH had worked so well coming into the race and with two genuine speed horses expected to make things pretty hot, he envisaged the pace coming back to her, despite having to give weight all around.

maintain three-length lead

Walker, who rode only one winner on the card to maintain his three-length lead over Dane Nelson in the jockeys' standings, said he worked AHWHOFAH last Sunday morning and actually had the choice of rides between her and RACING MACHINE.

"But I decided to stick with AHWHOFAH for she is, in fact, the class horse," he explained.

On a day when Dick Cardenas rode two winners, RIFLEMAN (5-1) ran on strongly to catch tearaway leader and howling favourite IT IS I in the Aston Commock Memorial Trophy secondary feature over 1700 metres. The four-year-old gelding was ridden by five-time champion jockey Trevor Simpson for owner Donald Williams and trainer Noel Ennevor.

Midweek racing will resume at the park on Wednesday after a break of three weeks.