HAVING made a successful return to horseracing after a broken leg at the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC)-organised Post Emancipation meeting earlier this month, jockey Paul Delph returned to his winning ways by piloting Elle’s Vision to the top prize in the sixth annual Guyana Cup which was held at the Port Mourant Turf Club, Sunday last. The victory was such a commanding one for both the horse which belongs to the Jagdeo Stables and the jockey, that second-placed Marathon Man which is owned by the Jumbo Jet Stables, the organisers of the event, was a distant second, followed by Dubai Duchess and The Message.
Delph ensured that Elle’s Vision’s handlers pocketed G$3M with the win, leaving the connections for Marathon Man, Dubai Duchess and The Message to settle for G$1.5M, G$750 000 and G$375 000 respectively, which was paid to the top four finishers who contested the 1400 metres event for horses classified B and Lower.
Jamaica’s Kieron Blake who was later adjudged Champion Jockey, was in the saddle for Dubai Duchess’ third place finish in the feature event, but had G$2M reasons to smile in the co-feature, after he guided Settle in Seattle to victory over Windy War, Serenity and Rosetta, who picked up G$1M, $500 000 and $250 000 respectively.
Celebrating Love won the G and Lower event from Bridle Stone Corner, Captain Cook and The Bailiff; Savion snatched the I and Lower event over Quincy, Princess Renuka and Pixie Fiore, while the Two-Years-Old Guyana and West Indies-bred event was won by It’s My Turn, with The Legend, Princess Alisha and Gold Princess, rounding off the top four paying positions.
Even though the sun was shining in all its glory and the sounds of Slingerz Sound System kept the thousands of fans who thronged the venue to have a first-hand look at the action, Silent Night took the Two Year Old Guyana-bred event from She’s So Special, Party Time and Royal Passion.
Blake had earlier guided Dubai Duchess to victory in the E and Lower classified horses event over The Bailiff which was ridden by Raj Drepaul, Technology and Work Force, and that was followed by Face the Heat’s victory in J, K and Lower race over Modern Cowboy, Prince Bayaya and Pick Pocket.
Third World proved too much for the other horses classified H and Lower by the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA), winning that event from I Want Revenge, Wicked Intention and Quincy Girl, before Warcraft closed off the day’s proceedings by taking the G3 and Lower event.
Coordinator of the event, Melissa Chattergoon who is an ardent horseracing fan, said the event which had over G$30M in cash prizes up for grabs, was a huge success and assured that next year’s seventh edition will be even more lucrative for horse owners and fans alike.
D. Ramroop, who trains all the horses within the Jumbo Jet Stables, was named the Champion Trainer, while the Jumbo Jet Stables, previously going through a lean patch, took home the Champion Stable prize for the second successive meeting, having done so at the KMTC’s meeting three weeks ago.
Sponsors for the event included Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, Banks DIH Limited, Digicel, Hand in Hand Insurance and other major companies, while Trophy Stall of Bourda Market provided the Champion Jockey Trophy.