JOCKEY Paul Delph dominated the field at the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC)-organised Post Indian Arrival Day (PIAD) horserace meeting last Sunday, to comfortably walk away with the champion jockey trophy. Delph chalked up three consecutive first-place finishes, after failing to place within the top four of the first race of the day, with his most important win coming in the feature race of the day, where he piloted Tropical Passion from the back of a three-horse field to an easy two lengths victory.
Young Kumar Singh, who competed for the final time at the KMTC, as he is expected to depart for the United States of America sometime soon, got the day’s proceedings off to a magnificent start in excellent conditions, when he piloted Sunday Star to a breathtaking victory over race favourite Silver Kid.
Another pre-race favourite in Graphic, who had Daniel Floris on board, surged to the front with Diplomat and Lenny’s O’Halo who was ridden by Kevin Paul and Delph respectively, while former national off-spinner Imran Jaffarally-owned Sporting Time stuck with the pack.
At the turn for home, Singh gave Sunday Star the reins he asked for and the stud responded with a burst of speed to claim the race, with Silver Kid, Sporting Time and Graphic rounding off the top four positions in the J and K Class event.
With no Laura-Lee-In-Flight, The Gap, Finishing Touch or Pixie Fire in the second race for F and Lower Class horses, Narvin chalked up a win when Madame Butterfly held her own to withstand a strong challenge from Pinch De Cash ridden by Kevin Paul, to come away with the win, leaving Debatable in the third position of the three horse field.
From here onwards, it was all Delph as the diminutive jockey guided Porridge to a pole-to-pole victory in the L Class event, even though he was forced to thwart the late efforts of Black Beauty who was ridden by Joshua Thakurdial, Bird Stone and Native Prince.
Next was the race of the day, where Delph took Lyana to a half-length victory over Miracle Silver in the I3 and Lower Class race that covered a distance of six furlongs.
The race started with Tidal Wave making a break to the front, followed by Diplomat and Miracle Silver, with Sporting Time and Lyana and a jockey-less Five Star General making its way up the track in the rear position.
Delph refused to give in and as they approached the three furlongs mark, he whipped his charge like a child being punished, into the lead, which was increased to three and a half lengths over Miracle Silver as they approached the turn for home.
Racing fans, who turned up at one of the oldest horse racing track in Guyana, witnessed a late surge from Narvin who opted to take Miracle Silver wide instead of closer to Delph and Lyana and after realising his mistake, took his charge closer to make it a two-horse race for the top position.
The experienced Delph came out on top, even though it was by half of a length over Miracle Silver, with Diplomat and Tidal Wave rounding off the top four.
Up next was the feature event of the day, sponsored by Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and covering a distance of seven furlongs for horses classified C and Lower and with No Sweet Carmel, Madame Butterfly, Pinch de Cash and The Gap under the starter’s orders, racing fans threw their weight on favourites Little Panie and Laura-Lee-In-Flight who were ridden by Floris and Narvin respectively.
But a confident-looking Delph who was aboard Tropical Passion, refused to let his confidence wane against his more illustrious opponents who were in high form, to take his charge home comfortably by two lengths over Laura-Lee-In-Flight and Little Panie respectively for his second win.
Delph’s third win came in the following race for I1 and Lower Class horses, when he piloted Stormy Water to a come-from-behind one-length victory over Sunday Star, ridden by Kumar Singh, while controversy reigned over the third and fourth place finishers, with Miracle Silver who was ridden by Mark Vossey, being rewarded the third spot over Tiny 21 who was jockeyed by Yhap Drepaul.
The final race of the day saw Navin guide Pixie Fire to an upset victory over Finishing Touch and Tidal Wave who was ridden by Kumar Singh and Orwin Webster respectively in another close encounter.
As is customary over the years, the champion jockey trophy was donated with the kind compliments of Trophy Stall, Bourda Market, who also produced the various trophies that were handed out to the respective winners.
Horse owners and trainers can now look forward to the next meet which will be held at the Rising Sun West Coast Berbice turf club on Sunday May 30, where over $3M in cash and prizes will be up for grabs.