Millimetre romps WITRA Classic

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

GUINEAS and St. Leger winner MILLIMETRE turned in an awesome display at Caymanas Park yesterday to win the third running of the $1.5 million WITRA Classic over 2000 metres, this confined to native bred three-year-olds.

The pre-race hype indicated that MILLIMETRE and his Derby conqueror AWESOME POWER would have had another battle royal for top honours in Round III of their ongoing clash.

But while it was close between them in two previous encounters, MILLIMETRE with title-chasing jockey Charles Hussey again at the helm, came back on wheels and to his horde of supporters, it came down to how far.

MILLIMETRE, installed a 1-5 favourite in a field of seven, won by the resounding of 12 3/4 lengths in the fairly good time of 2:08.0, even though eased down by Hussey over the last 200 metres.

The classy filly AWESOME POWER, backed down to 6-5 with Kenyatta Davis up, proved no match this time around, so much so that she failed to finish second.

She faded in the last furlong to finish a distressed looking fourth, as 37-1 outsider ALEX'S PEGASUS clamed second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of stable-companion GLORIOUS STAR at odds of 81-1. Both are owned by Alexander Haber and trained by Jose Pinchin.

AWESOME POWER, who tried to make all, was never allowed to settle on the lead as she was tackled by MILLIMETRE's lesser fancied stable-companions RAKKADASH (7-1) and PHAREAL (15-1) passing the stands for the first time, at which stage MILLIMETRE was held together in fifth on the outside.

As the race progressed, AWESOME POWER was pressed by PHAREAL as they turned into the backstrech and with MILLIMETRE (ridden) only two lengths behind the leaders in third approaching the half-mile, the writing was already on the wall.

Moving like a jet from the half-mile, MILLIMETRE went by AWESOME POWER approaching the three and after turning for home some four lengths clear, and Hussey looking behind for non-existent dangers, it was no longer a race.

Owned by the Classic Stables and trained by reigning champion Philip Feanny, MILLIMETRE will now be prepared for the November 10 Red Stripe Superstakes in which he will come face to face with last year's winner and reigning 'Horse of the Year' MENUDO and the 2000 Triple Crown winner I'MSATISFIED and of course, AWESOME POWER.

A chestnut colt by Royal Minister out of the 1990 Oaks winner Millford Sound, MILLIMETRE is bred by Teddy Richards and Alvin Garcia. This was his fifth win from seven starts this season.

Earlier in the afternoon, top sprinter OWEN TAYLOR had to pull out all the stops in order to win the $500,000 None-Such Sprint Trophy over 1200 metres by a neck in a driving finish from the lightly weighted American mare EXECUTIVE PROFILE.

Installed a 4-5 favourite in a bid for his fifth consecutive win, the Barbadian bred 6-y-o gelding from the stables of Andrew Nunes, wore down long-time leader EXECUTIVE PROFILE (7-2) within shades of the wire, winning narrowly under the crushing impost of 60.5kg with Hussey aboard.

Nunes said because of the heavy impost OWEN TAYLOR was not a happy animal after the race.

"Hussey said he had to beg him to find that little extra where it mattered," Nunes said.

"I'll never race him with 60.5kg again", vowed the trainer. "This system whereby a horse has to carry so much weight has got to change. It takes too much out of the horses", said Nunes who was backed in his call by former champion owner and CTL director Laurence Heffes, who disclosed that his big horse DEPUTY'S REPORT has suffered a serious setback and might never race again. He attributed this to the said impost of 60.5kg that DEPUTY'S REPORT has constantly been allotted in his races.

On a day when Hussey rode three winners in MILLIMETRE, OWEN TAYLOR and CALENDAR GIRL (awarded race in Stewards' Room), Mikey Mattis saddled back-to-back winners in INDULGE YOURSELF and THE REAL McCOY, both at 7-2.

Back to Sport