Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
IN-FORM CLAIMING apprentice Howard Newell guided 7-5 second choice STATE PRINCE to an impressive victory over even-money favourite NUMERO UNO in yesterday's Caymanas Park feature for the Andrew H.B. Aguilar Memorial Cup, confined to native bred maiden two-year-olds over 1600 metres.
Trained by Gregory Bucknor for co-owners Edgar Llewelyn and Elvin Duncan, the improving bay gelding by Outrigger out of Seattle Princess, disputed the lead with NUMERO UNO (Shane Ellis up) from soon after the start, ahead of the outsider BULLSEYE in the 11-strong field.
Both were still locked in an intense duel passing the half mile before STATE PRINCE on the outside shook loose from the 600-metre pole.
Running like a well-oiled machine, STATE PRINCE turned for home three lengths clear of a struggling NUMERO UNO and proceeded to pour it on in the straight to win by 5 3/4 lengths. The Anthony Nunes-trained NUMERO UNO held on grimly for second, half a length ahead of the grey HIGH GRADE (4-1), staying on towards the outside for third.
STATE PRINCE, who is part-owned and bred by Llewelyn, chalked up his first win from five starts, but as far as Newell was concerned, it was smooth sailing.
ALWAYS CONFIDENT
"He ran too well behind Miracle Man recently to lose this race and I was always confident of winning," said the apprentice whose 3kg allowance makes him a hot commodity at present.
"When I asked him to run from the three-furlong marker, he left NUMERO UNO for dead and I knew then that it was only a matter of how far he would win. STATE PRINCE is a nice colt who has many more races to win," added Newell who came back to win the very next race aboard 14-1 outsider BLOW WIND BLOW for trainer Bucknor and the same owners.
"Right now I am riding well and am pleased with the way things are working out for me," continued Newell. "My good riding form can be attributed to the fact that I am very fit and am getting some good rides as well. I paid my dues earlier on when the winners were few and far between, but I've learnt from my mistakes," he explained.
Bucknor, a second generation trainer, missed a third winner when his speedy three-year-old filly LADY LAMMTARRA, a 4-5 favourite, was caught and beaten by 2-1 second favourite SWEET LOOKING GUY in the third race over the straight five course.
Later in the afternoon, another claiming apprentice, Dalton Brown, won the day's secondary feature for the Charlie James Memorial Cup over 1100 metres aboard 2-1 chance LA RUDE.
Trained by Lawrence Freemantle, the speedy three-year-old gelding made all convincingly in a field of 11, winning by 2 1/4 lengths from HERECOMESTHEJURY and JAMAICA JADE. The race was confined to $140,000 claimers.
ELUSIVE PICK-9
On a day when the mushrooming Pick-9 again proved elusive and the carryover to Saturday's UBA Gold Cup meet now stands at $2.4 million, the upsets were provided by the Gary Subratie-trained VALID REASON (Oneil Mullings up) at 34-1 in the fifth race and the aforementioned BLOW WIND BLOW who ran on strongly on the rails leaving the furlong pole to catch long-time leader VISCOSITY under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths.
Newell and returning champion jockey Trevor Simpson shared the riding honours with two winners each.
