By Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
SAINT COLUMBA (left), one of two winners for apprentice Andrew Nunes, sails past long time leader BUSHY PARK RAJA to win the 5th race over 1100 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer
THE EVEN-MONEY favourite ROYAL EXPEDITION justified the support at Caymanas Park yesterday to win the Birnamwood Trophy feature (claiming $200,000 - $180,000) over 1300 metres.
Ridden by title-chasing jockey Clive Lynch for owners Cay Jam and trainer Richie Todd, ROYAL EXPEDITION won by 1 1/4 lengths from the 9-5 second favourite VISIONARY under apprentice Oneil Mullings.
Rated just off the early pace in fourth as VISIONARY took over from the early leaders KING'S HIGHWAY (5-1) and FOREST FRESH (40-1) leaving the half mile, ROYAL EXPEDITION was bustled up by Lynch to go in chase shortly after.
He turned for home some two lengths adrift of VISIONARY, but the leader was in no mood to surrender the advantage and battled on gamely passing the furlong pole to hold ROYAL EXPEDITION at bay.
But under some torrid left hand whipping from Lynch, ROYAL EXPEDITION found top gear midway through the last furlong, sweeping past VISIONARY in deep stretch for a decisive win.
In third place, a farther 3 1/4 lengths adrift, was the 30-1 outsider VOICE MAIL while GUARDIAN ANGEL at 10-1 was fourth. Highly fancied AIN'T JOKING (5-2) acted up prior to the start, refused to enter the gate and after toppling over was declared a late non-starter, reducing the field to 10.
A 4-y-o bay gelding by Royal Minister out of Later Crusader, ROYAL EXPEDITION, who ran on Lasix for the third time in succession, has now won three of his last four races.
He provided Lynch and Todd with the second of two winners on the 10-race programme. Earlier, INSATIABLE pulled off a 10-1 upset in the open allowance race over 1400 metres, flooring the odds on the red hot 3-5 favourite SPIRIT OF JAMAICA (Neville Stephenson up) in the process.
The vastly improved 4-y-o gelding by Restless Thief out of Instead of Roses assumed the lead from SPIRIT OF JAMAICA (Neville Stephenson) leaving the three and hung tough up the lane to stave off the fast-finishing ROYAL RUN (5-2) by half a length, as highly fancied SATISFIER (2-1) placed third in the seven-strong field.
This was INSATIABLE's fourth win from nine starts this season and he was administered Lasix for the first time.
Also riding two winners was the improving apprentice Andrew Nunes. These were GREY STAR at 3-1 in the opening race for maiden four-year-olds and up and Richard Azan's SAINT COLUMBA (4-1) who ran on strongly midway up the straight in the fifth race to catch and beat long-time leader BUSHY PARK RAJA (9-2) by 2 1/4 lengths.
Many-time champion trainer Philip Feanny also posted two winners in GAMMA KNIFE (4-1), who made all to win in a driving finish from the highly fancied pair of JERICHO and SQUARE GARDEN, and the 3-y-o debutante GALINA POINT (1-5 fav) who romped the fourth race over 1200 metres.
The Law Of The Sea - Tropical Wave colt was ridden by leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths.
