IT WAS yet another tough day for form players at Caymanas Park on Saturday, so much so that the Pick-9 not only proved elusive for the fifth consecutive race day, but consolation prizes were paid out only to punters with seven of nine winners.
As a result, the carryover to tomorrow's nine-race programme stands at a whopping $2.1 million. Given the heavy betting anticipated tomorrow, the Pick-9 could offer a payout in excess $2.7 million.
Meanwhile the Super-6, which was conducted on the last six races, also frustrated punters, save one. The big winner walked away with $577,113.00 which should come in handy with the Yule season fast approaching.
Although there were no major upsets, the fact that a few favourites bit the dust was enough to side-track punters.
These include NEFTENGA who despite being backed down to 2-5 in the fifth race could only manage fourth, as well as CAPTAIN BLIGH at evens in the ninth race for the Melvin 'Babu' Chin Memorial Trophy and MY MY at 2-1 in the closing race for maiden three-year-olds.
ZEEDON provided a mild upset in the fifth, storming through from well off the pace in deep stretch to win in a driving finish from hat-trick seeker DANCING FLAMES (who beat him by a nose last time out) and CRIMSON MAGIC.
COLLARED IN THE LAST FURLONG
The Richard Azan-trained NEFTENGA (Winston Griffiths up) actually assumed the lead from SAID I SAID I early in the straight, only to be collared in the last furlong and quickly relegated.
Trainer Noel Ennevor posted two winners in MOLTEN LAVA at 7-2 in the fourth and 2-1 favourite CHARMING BELLE who was awarded eight place in the Stewards' Room on the disqualification of WATERS OF MERRIBAH.
Ennevor continues to do very well with limited resources, so much so that the veteran has one of the best strike rates this season, bettered only by champion trainer Wayne DaCosta and many-time champion Philip Feanny, both of whom have a large string of horses at their disposal.
Bustling lightweight jockey Leo 'Twitch' Miller also notched two winners in the two-year-old filly YAHABIBI and ZEEDON. He is riding confidently of late and is a jockey to note whenever riding a good horse below 50.0kg.
Trainer Patrick Fong has done well without any top class horses and, similar to Ennevor, occupies a place among the top 10 trainers in the standings.
Fong posted the first two winners on the card, MAAS JOE and highly fancied PALMETTO XPRESS, who improved his performance by six or so lengths with the tongue tie fitted for the first time.
The seven-year-old gelding, who was unplaced in his previous race on October 18, came back to romp the second with Charles Hussey again in the saddle.
- Orville Clarke
