Allen
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
SELENA MYSTIQUE, ridden by Larris Allen for second generation trainer Ryan Darby, overcame a sluggish start to win the James B. Dawes Memorial Cup feature (claiming $260,000-$220,000) in fine style at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Installed a marginal favourite at 2-1 ahead of TSUNAMI and KERMIT (also at 2-1), SELENA MYSTIQUE came through early in the straight to win by 2 1/4 lengths from TSUNAMI under in-form apprentice Oneil Mullings. The bay horse got up in the nick of time to pip up-in-class BOUND FOR GLORY by a neck for second, as KERMIT faded into fourth in a field of 12.
When the starter let them go, SELENA MYSTIQUE was not the best away but jockey Allen kept his composure and gradually mended from the half mile. Up front, the 83-1 outsider VISCOSITY led early, just ahead of KERMIT, STRAIGHT SIX and KING'S HIGHWAY with TSUNAMI not far behind.
The scenario changed by the time they galloped towards the home turn, at which stage KERMIT had taken charge under two-time champion jockey Joe Buchanan, but being stalked by the smooth running SELENA MYSTIQUE who turned for home bang in contention on the outside.
She disposed of KERMIT early in the straight and when BOUND FOR GLORY (rails) and TSUNAMI began to loom menacingly in mid-stretch, found another gear under the left-hand stick to leave the issue beyond doubt.
Ownned by O'Shaun Connection and bred by Member of Parliament Karl Samuda, SELENA MYSTIQUE, a 6-y-o grey mare by Liver Stand out of the Shy Native mare Sign & Seal, notched her second win from her past four starts. Her previous win came over 1200 metres on November 19 when trained by Dwight Chen. She was claimed for $260,000 by Darby that day.
Darby, who had a second winner on the card in KYLE'S DIVA with Allen aboard, said he had little doubt that 'Selena' would be unsaddled in the winners' enclosure.
"She was not really disgraced behind Red Bootlaces in the Millard Ziadie Cup on January 3 and was presented much sharper for this race," Darby said.
"The fact that she was stepping down in class with only 51kg also played in her favour. I knew one thing for sure ... Kermit who finished ahead of her in the Millard Ziadie Cup, would be hard pressed to beat her again on 5kg worse terms," he said.
Meanwhile, another second generation racing practitioner Percy Hussey highlighted the 10-race programme by saddling three winners, all in the colours of his mother, Ruth.
They were EASTERN LIGHT at 3-1 in the second race for maiden three-year-olds, 4-5 favourite TO SIR WITH LOVE under four-time champion Charles Hussey in the third and the sparingly raced 4-y-o colt DOUBLE BUCK at 5-2 in the sixth race over the straight course for maidens.
Ridden by Neville 'Briggy' Stephenson, DOUBLE BUCK who was racing for the first time in just over a year, having run very wide on his debut over the round five course 12 months ago, came back more focused on this occasion. He ran on strongly on the stands' side to catch 4-1 chance VALID REASON with Eddie Jackson aboard on the line.
In the absence of leading jockey Trevor Simpson who was sitting out day two of a seven-day suspension, apprentice Dane Nelson rode two winners in the Richie Todd-trained RUCKUS (3-2) and 15-1 outsider DANCING BEAUTY in the eighth race over 1100 metres to move to five wins for the season, one behind joint leaders Simpson and hot apprentice Oneil Mullings, who notched a win aboard 7-2 chance PHYSICS BOOK in the seventh.
Mullings will be out of action for the next two race days, having incurred a two-day suspension for careless riding aboard SIR GEE on December 27.
