The stranglehold Jericho had on this year’s leading three-year-olds was loosened on Monday when Brave Star, under a super confident ride by jockey Jalon Samuel, stunned a classy field in the feature Grandstand Posse Classic Trial at the Garrison Savannah.
The good to firm conditions which existed proved ideal for the Bills Inc.-owned Brave Star, who easily won 1 570 metres by ten lengths. The Victor Cheeseman trainee has now catapulted himself into the leading role as the horse to beat with the Triple Crown Classics beckoning.
Fresh off an impressive victory sprinting, Brave Star raced as a back marker leaving the gates and into the paddock bend. Meanwhile, the lone female Lollipop rushed straight from the gates to claim the lead from Jericho and Quality Star while leaving the others to bunch up.
At that point Brave Star, having cleared the paddock bend, was given orders from his jockey to get closer to the main pack. That he did, moving strides within the back hooves of the favourite Jericho as Lollipop continued cantering on the front end. Within the quarter mark the race took full shape as Jericho moved to the lead briefly before the stalker showed who is boss, storming clear at the top of the home stretch.
He then accelerated smoothly under no pressure on his way to the impressive win with Samuel switching off the engine with half the stretch run left.
Had Samuel not done so, the victory margin could have been almost doubled. Jericho was the better of the rest, taking second place ahead of Peruvian and Lollipop.
Jockey Rasheed Hughes had a phenomenal day in the saddle, winning four of the nine races supported with a pair of seconds on Grandstand Posse Raceday. Hughes’ major success came in the supporting feature, where he easily steered home Infrared in the 1 100 metres Grandstand Posse Fire Queen Trophy Handicap for top-rated sprinters.
The Martin and Daniel Raizman colt Infrared broke sharp from the middle of the course to lead, along with contenders Joshua and Apparition. The pair attempted to cause some discomfort for Infrared, matching him stride for stride until they found this year’s Gold Cup second runner-up too hot to handle.
He turned into the home stretch all alone and galloped home easily ahead of the Spa Sprint winner Celestial Storm, who again closed from the back. She simply had too much to do to get to the winner, who showed no sign of relenting even though Hughes stopped riding and took time to call his opponents.
Hughes started the programme with a win astride Pamela and Neville’s Isdell Justice League in the Suzanne McDonald Memorial Trophy Handicap over 1 100 metres.
First Edition-owned filly Awesome Simmer secured her maiden win, taking the Grandstand Posse Blue Print Trophy Handicap over 1 800 metres.
Having guided Ameash to a maiden win last December 26, Hughes again guided the Sir Charles Williams mare to victory in the Grandstand Posse Pepper Pot Trophy Handicap over the 1 800 metres route as part of his beaver-trick.
Fans of ace jockey Patrick Husbands did not have long to wait as he opened the card with a precise ride aboard Melrose’s racing Oberoi to capture the Grand Stand Posse Special Competitions Trophy Hamdicap over 1 570 metres by a head. That was his only victory in five rides.
In addition to the feature race, Samuel closed out the day with a win astride Thismeanswar for MTD Racing. He also secured two wins for Affrie Ward who won on Jackmanannygap and Cipriani. (LY)
