The?William Bill Marshall DFC SCM Memorial Race Day proved to be quite memorable for racing enthusiasts at the Garrison Savannah last Saturday.
With the 2012 jockey of the year title still up for grabs, three of the top riders gave fans their money’s worth as they combined to win the first seven races on the eight-race card.
The trio rode like men possessed. Long-time leader Antonio “Swagga” Whitehall presented himself with an early birthday gift as he stood out above his two main rivals with three wins, while Reshaun Latchman and Anderson Trotman kept in the title hunt by recording double wins.
Whitehall entered the winner’s enclosure from as early as Race 2, the Thinkers Image Condition Race for West Indian two-year-old maidens, by piloting the Angela Simpson-owned filly Koh-I-Noor to an impressive victory by a length and a quarter.
He then calmly won the afternoon’s main event, the William Bill Marshall DFC SCM Two-year-old Creole Classic, astride the Lewin Godding-owned filly Nekitta.
Whitehall then made sure the connections of the 2-5 favourite Shared Adventure did not have to wait too long to return to the winner’s circle by taking the Coo Bird Handicap over 1 100 metres in Race 7.
After starter Mark Batson sent them on their way in the sprint for horses rated 117-140, the pair, despite toying with the opposition, took only one minute, 03.4 seconds in winning for owners H&M.
This popular victory and the time will surely add more interest to the anticipated clash of the top-rated speedsters over 1 570 metres on Boxing Day when the locally-bred horses Apostle and Show Me The Money square off against the imported Shared Adventure and Discreetwon in the Victor Chandler Stakes & Trophy.
The wins stretch Whitehall’s lead to three on nearest rival Reshaun Latchman, who triumphed aboard the imported Rahy Stormello in the Alto Jane Condition Race over 1 100 metres and on Zaltarr in the fifth race, the Blast Of Storm Handicap for three-year-old horses rated 52-75 over 1 100 metres.
Conscious that time to retain his championship title is running thin, Trotman got his name on the score sheet in Race 3. He piloted the Neville Isdell-owned colt Roars to a workmanlike victory in the Oba Dove Condition Race for West Indian-bred three-year-old non-winners of two races.
Trotman has formed an incredible relationship with the Round Table Stud Farm-owned filly Fernandina, and in the afternoon’s sixth race, the pair made it four wins from their last five starts, taking the Don Juan Handicap for three-year-old and older horses rated 30-50 over 1 570 metres.
Trotman’s other success was also the second win on the card for trainer Jonathon Simpson, who had earlier watched his bay filly Koh-I-Noor hand in her maiden certificate.
