It was double delight for four winners on the fourth day of the third racing season at the Garrison Savannah last Saturday.
The Christmas Season Race Day saw jockeys Renaldo Cumberbatch, Kenny John and Reshaun Latchman and trainer Liz Deane each enter winner’s enclosure twice.
Cumberbatch was the first on the scorecard as he patiently piloted the Stanton French-owned colt Danny Crane to his maiden victory. The pair struck in the ‘Tis The Season To Be Jolly Handicap for West Indian-bred maidens over 1 100 metres.
Cumberbatch would later add the Jingle Bells Handicap over 1 570 metres to his name. Riding Dunwiddat for trainer Victor Cheesmen, he put the Ian Corbin-owned son of Inourwildest Dreams out of St Georgia into the lead in the event for three-year-old and older horses rated 45-65.
Allowed to dictate their own fractions, the pair stopped the clock in one minute, 38 seconds. Cumberbatch’s wins were methodically thought out and delivered to perfection.
Needing a really big day in the saddle to make a significant impact on the Jockeys’ Championship, journeyman John was forced to settle for his riding double. Having trotted up with The Price Is Right in the Mrs Claus Condition Race for fillies only over 1 100 metres, he was seen at his best in Race five.
At the start of the afternoon’s racing, Latchman stood the best chance of wrestling the jockey’s lead from young Antonio Whitehall.
Latchman cut the deficit down to two wins as he piloted Flying South home in the fourth race, the Santa Claus Condition Race for colts and geldings over 1 100 metres.
By the end of the day, Latchman had brought himself within one win of the leader as he produced the ride of the day aboard Cassanova to bring the curtain down on the card.
Owned by Rugby Farms, this gelding recorded his third career win having landed the Christmas Cheer Handicap for three-year old horses rated 20-45 over 1 570 metres.
The victory was the second on the programme for Deane, who has had another quiet season after scaling down her training operation.
She took the Season’s Greetings Handicap feature race with Aristodemus, who gracefully took care of the three-year-old and older horses rated 80-100 over 1 570 metres. The colt was piloted home by Anderson Trotman, who remains five wins off the leader with his title slipping away.
