By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterJIG YOUNG, running at odds of 7-2 under in-form lightweight Leo Miller, pounced on the leaders early in the straight to win the Alty McKenzie Memorial Cup feature (claiming $210,000 - $180,000) over 1600 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Trained by Donald Clarke for owners T&P, JIG YOUNG won by 2 1/4 lengths from 2-1 second favourite NO TEAR under champion jockey Trevor Simpson. The latter was a similar margin ahead of the late closing 6-1 chance QUEEN HILL in third and CRUCIAL TIMES at 8-1 was fourth.
The 6-5 favourite SUPREME POWER, who made most under pressure from CRUCIAL TIMES, faded badly in the straight to finish fifth and lame in the process.
JIG YOUNG, who raced off the pace in third for most of the way as SUPREME POWER and CRUCIAL TIMES jostled for the lead, started his winning run from the 600-metre point.
GROUND SAVING RUN
As the leaders SUPREME POWER and CRUCIAL TIMES stepped out wide turning into the straight, JIG YOUNG was produced with a ground saving run on the inside before going by the fading leaders approaching the distance.
In the end, he won quite convincingly, ahead of NO TEAR who stayed on strongly from below the distance for second but never looked like getting on terms with him.
Miller said he was always confident of winning with JIG YOUNG.
"I knew the leaders would play into my hands, so all I did was bide my time in third before going for them on entering the straight," said the jockey affectionately called 'Twitch'.
"My horse was down in class for this race, had won over the distance earlier this season and was down in the weights as well. All of these elements combined made him a winner," he added.
Earlier in the afternoon, Simpson had better luck when booting home the 1000 Guineas and Oaks third place finisher FLYWITHME, a 1-2 favourite, in the opening race over 1500 metres confined to native bred three-year-olds (non winners of two).
FLYWITHME was early in the lead from MOZURI and ROBICON in a field of six. She turned for home some two lengths clear of MOZURI and kept on strongly to beat him by 3 1/2 lengths with DANCING ANNA staying on for third, another 2 1/2 lengths away. The winner, a chestnut filly by Royal Minister out of Miss Valid Journey, is co-owned by Warren Burrowes and Mitta Rousseau and trained by reigning champion Wayne Dacosta.
Simpson, who reported sick after the sixth race, had only one winner on the card in FLYWITHME. He thus pushed his season's tally to 40, but closest rival Shane Ellis had two winners in odds-on favourites SIR GOBIN MUNILAL and PRODIGAL SON to finish the day two behind Simpson on 38.
Miller also rode two winners in JIG YOUNG and the straight five specialist KING OF THE BAND (4-5) in the closing race, as did two-time champion Joe Buchanan who had the leg over 4-1 chance RUDE BOY (a chance ride) in the second race for $140,000 claimers and 8-5 chance MR. N.P.S. in the fourth race for maiden five-year-olds and up.
The day's major upset was provided by the Desmond Shand-trained GILNOCK at 45-1 in the third race over 1600 metres for high claimers. With the favourite DR. R.S.F. making most under Simpson, GILNOCK stormed through on the inside from off the pace leaving the furlong pole to win convincingly from highly fancied HAPHAZARD.
GILNOCK was a chance ride for apprentice Marklee Buchanan, replacing Kerry-Gayl Robinson.
