Circle De Throne upstages rivals

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

CIRCLE DE THRONE, running at odds of 8-1, made most to win the knotty one mile feature for the Louis Hitchins Memorial Cup (claiming $200,000-$180,000) in decisive fashion at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Ridden by Leo 'Twitch' Miller for owner/trainer Michael G. McIntosh, CIRCLE DE THRONE raced close up from the outset as the grey SILVER PATRIOT (28-1) made the early running in the field of 13.

Also prominently placed in the early stages were 7-1 chance GONE SOUTH along with 2-1 favourite THE ODYSSEY and BAY SAVAGE, highly fancied at 7-2.

CIRCLE DE THRONE assumed the lead approaching the half mile and soon raced clear. He turned for home three lengths ahead of the grey SILVER PATRIOT, closely followed by SILVER WEDDING (5-1) looming on the outside and THE ODYSSEY not far adrift on the inside.

But CIRCLE DE THRONE was not for catching as he kept on strongly to win by 2 1/2 lengths from the in-form SILVER WEDDING with hat-trick seeker RAJMIR (7-1) closing late for third, ahead of THE ODYSSEY who kept on one paced for fourth.

CHOCOLATE THUNDER (lame) and INDULGE YOURSELF were declared non-starters, the latter just before the race.

This was CIRCLE DE THRONE's second win of the season. Bred by Michael Mair, the five-year-old bay gelding by The Medic out of Tropical Fling had previously won on New Year's Day. And that also came over his pet distance of a mile.

The outstanding performance of the afternoon was turned in by the highly talented unbeaten native bred three-year-old gelding GOINGTOKANSASCITY who romped home in the round five overnight allowance in the smart time of 59.4.

Ridden by title chasing jockey Wesley Henry, GOINGTOKANSASCITY was ridden to lead in less than a dozen strides. After turning for home with a commanding lead over ISSEY MIKAYE and DIXIE FLYER, he cruised home by four lengths from DIXIE FLYER (10-1) on the outside and the imported colt PLEASANT WOOD (5-1) closing for third in the field of eight.

Owned by Leonard B. Chin Yee and trained by Wayne DaCosta, GOINGTOKANSASCITY who is a full brother to the 1996 Triple Crown winner and 'Horse of the Year' WAR ZONE, both being by Exotic Traveler out of Sweet Ruckus, is unbeaten in four starts.

Henry and DaCosta teamed up for a double as earlier on the programme, fellow three-year-old DISTINCTIVE BLEND made all impressively over the straight five course. The three-year-old roan filly by Distinctive Bingo out of That's O.K. has now won five of her past six races, four over the straight five course.

As a result of yesterday's double, Henry has regained the lead from Ramon Parish in their private battle for the jockeys' championship. Henry moved to 43, only one ahead of Parish who failed to ride a winner yesterday.

In addition to DaCosta, Jose Pinchin shared the training honours with two winners in the impressive 3-y-o gelding CRUCIAL TIMES (4-5) and WARRIOR (3-1).

Back to Sport