SIMPSON
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
THE LIGHTLY-raced TUSCAN SUN justified favouritism at Caymanas Park yesterday when going wire to wire in the Cesario Cup 3-y-o maiden special for colts and geldings, winning by 2 3/4 lengths.
Backed down to 3-5 with leading jockey Shane Ellis riding for trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, TUSCAN SUN was fastest away from the No. 1 post position and although challenged on the lead by highly-fancied KING CHARLES (2-1) passing the half mile, held on to a narrow advantage until coming away from early in the straight for an easy victory.
In the battle for second, KING CHARLES (Clive Lynch up) held on grimly by a neck from 7-1 chance MICHAEL POWER, who was outpaced in third by the first two in the backstretch but stayed on under hard driving from champion jockey Trevor Simpson to complete the first three.
A chestnut gelding by Kammtarra out of the Teeter Board mare Balancing Act, TUSCAN SUN, who showed promise in his initial outing behind OCEAN LINER in January when installed a 1-2 favourite, was put on Lasix for this race and if that wasn't enough, was fitted with the tongue tie and figure eight as well.
NO BIG SHAKES
Still, his running time of 1:02.1 would suggest he's no big shakes, but there's much room for improvement in his act. He is co-owned by Tony Gambrill and Richard Jones who doubles as breeder.
Meanwhile, firm favourites MAHENDRA EXPRESS and FIASCO won the respective sections of the circular nine secondary feature for the Dr. David 'Jack' Radix Memorial Cup for $140,000 claimers.
In Division I, the 4-5 favourite MAHENDRA EXPRESS, with Lynch aboard, was early in the lead from KATAN and the well-backed CONSCIOUS APPROACH (7-2). He increased his lead leaving the half mile and when Simpson's mount, CALENDAR GIRL (5-2), loomed on the rails leaving the furlong pole, stayed on well to beat her by 2 3/4 lengths with CONSCIOUS APPROACH another 6 1/2 lengths away fourth in a field of eight. BULLETWOOD, who raced in touch for a long way, did not finish.
WON TWICE FROM SIX STARTS
MAHENDRA EXPRESS is owned by Offshore and trained by Leroy Tomlinson. The 9-y-o gelding by Gentleman Jinsky out of Island Chimes has now won twice from six starts this season.
Division II went to the even money favourite FIASCO with Panamanian jockey Ameth Robles aboard.
Never far off the pace as STAR OF THE MOMENT and 2-1 chance UNWANTED alternated in the lead, FIASCO stormed through on the rails leaving the furlong pole to win by 3 3/4 lengths from UNWANTED in a field of nine.
The winner, a 6-y-o chestnut gelding by Maverick out of Brenda's Gold, is owned jointly by Carolyn and Victor Tennant and trained by Charles Morrissey.
Ellis (Tuscan Sun, Sammy My Girl), Simpson (Freak Rain, Rundumplinrun) and Robles (Fiasco, Court Case) shared the riding honours with two winners each.
Ellis, however, could easily have made it three save for an unfortunate spill aboard 1-2 favourite SCIO OMNIO who stumbled and fell when having the race at his mercy just inside final last furlong.
In the closing rush, ROYAL MALICE (5-2) nosed out STRIKING LIGHTNING to take the spoils. Veteran jockey Richie Robertson rode his first winner in over four years, this aboard 9-1 chance ROYAL CONTROL in the closing race for maiden four-year-olds and up.
