Following his enterprising run in the Gold Cup two weeks ago, Campaigner’s Gold made his second appearance at the Garrison Savannah yesterday a winning one, narrowly claiming victory by a neck to take the feature Louis Corbin Memorial Handicap on a firm track.
Going off as one of the short-priced favourites in the 1 570 metres race that attracted five other runners, the CTA Stable’s four-year-old gelding by Congrats out of Audacious Chole prevailed in a thrilling last-quarter chase to pip Refire.
Campaigner’s Gold, ridden by Rickey Walcott, was settled at the back until he was let loose going by the two-furlong marker.
He moved quickly around the field to have a shot at the leading trio of Voldemort, who led the field into the homestretch, Janak’s Gold, the early pacesetter in the day’s slowest fractions of a 27 quarter-mile and a half-mile in 52.4 was tracked by Voldemort who applied some pressure.
The pair then made the three-quarter mile in a time of 1:15.1. This was right up the path of Campaigner’s Gold. He soon joined Refire, who had crept between horses to take the lead from Voldemort while still looking good at that point. However, he just did not have enough in him to hold off the winner, who finished wide on the outside.
The win for the John Marc Cozier trainee relegated Refire to the second position ahead of Voldemort and Stolen as they completed the top four places.
The programme, dubbed Honouring Former Barbados Turf Club Employees Raceday, saw trainer Victor Cheeseman and jockey Jalon Samuel pairing for the day’s only braces.
It all started in the opening event where Aysha Syndicate’s Majestic Star won the 1 100 metres George Corbin Memorial Condition Race. The three-year-old son of Alma D’Oro out of Savannah Anna made all the running from the inside draw to turn away the much fancied Lollipop.
Two races later, trainer Andrew Nunes and jockey Anderson Trotman again felt the fury of the Cheeseman and Samuel combo – this time with the much talked about Gandalf. Owned by Bills Inc., the three-year-old colt, the son of Rocamadour out of Poetic Justice, carved out all the fractions in handing in his maiden certificate.
The duo, after fending off a challenge by Tamarama at the half-mile stage, was able to run across the line by five and three-quarter lengths in the Oscar “Locke” Padmore Memorial Allotted Weights Race over 1 570 metres.
Recent winners King Of Cool and Javalier, overwhelming favourites to take the Antonio Corbin Memorial Handicap, were given a rude awakening when 15-1 long shot Gay Smith’s Arrowhead lit up the tote board.
This race produced another breathtaking finish as no sooner had Arrowhead snatched the lead from Oberoi, he then had to survive a late surge from Javalier.
The Barbados Turf Club’s season moves into its sixth day on April 2 with the staging of the Grandstand Posse Raceday featuring the running of the three-year-old Classic Trail. (LY)
