Slippery Doctor On Call By Orville Clarke,
Freelance Writer
DOCTOR ON CALL, going off a 3-2 second favourite with leading jockey Ramon Parish aboard, led home 4-5 favourite DESPERADO to win the Gerald Farquharson Memorial Trophy feature over 1400 metres in decisive fashion at Caymanas Park yesterday. Owned by the J.C. Racing Stables and trained by Albert Chong, DOCTOR ON CALL made virtually all in a field of six. He disputed the early lead with firstly LADY BALLARI and then BINGO PRINCESS from the halfway stage, before racing clear of BINGO PRINCESS entering the straight to win by 3 1/4 lengths from DESPERADO. DESPERADO, the mount of title chasing jockey Wesley Henry, moved within striking distance of the leaders entering the straight but failed to carry through the effort. Third went to QUEST FOR GOLD (outpaced) at 4-1. This was DOCTOR ON CALL's second win from six starts this season. The chestnut colt by Liver Stand out of Call Me Sally had previously won over 1600 metres on January 6 with Parish aboard. Later in the afternoon, the Barbadian-owned OWEN TAYLOR made a triumphant seasonal debut over NEFTENGA and company in the Starter Handicap 1 & 2 over the straight five course. Installed a 6-5 favourite with three-time champion Charles Hussey aboard, OWEN TAYLOR chased the bang in form course specialist DISTINCTIVE BLEND at close range before moving upsides coming on to the main track. After a brief duel with the speedy 3-y-o filly, OWEN TAYLOR went into overdrive approaching the distance and moved away to win by 3 3/4L from the fast-finishing NEFTENGA (9-2) in the field of six. OWEN TAYLOR, easily the biggest horse to grace the track, covered the distance in the good time of 0:58.4 behind splits of 23.2 and 45.4. The six-year-old chestnut gelding by Nosferatu out of Talor of Soham is owned by former Barbadian Senator Charles O. Williams and trained by Andrew Nunes. Trainer Richie Todd saddled two winners in the vastly improved LEGIONAIRE (9-5), who duly made it four in a row in the opening race and DOCTOR RENNINGS (4-1) who made most to win the sixth. Todd pushed his season's tally to 44, the most by any trainer this season. Also notching two winners was jockey Gerry Bacchas, his first and second of the season. These were LOVER'S CHOICE at 8-1 in the seventh race over the circular nine course and 5-2 favourite SWEET CHAMPAGNE in the closing race confined to jockeys who had not ridden a winner since the start of the year. The day's major upset came via DEPUTYCOMMISSIONER at 39-1 in the fourth race over the circular nine course. Ridden by Panamanian Ameth Robles for trainer Junior Parker, the bay gelding ran on strongly to catch MARIA-MARIA (11-1) close home, winning by half a length.
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