WIMBLEDON (right, Robert Reid up) powering to victory in yesterday's Robert 'Bob' Marley Memorial feature at Caymanas Park. Owned by Donralto Stables, WIMBLEDON won at odds of 7-2 from RISTO-CAT (Shane Ellis) and favourite CRUISING ALTITUDE (Brian Harding) at left.
-Carlington Wilmot photo
Ainsley Walters, Staff Reporter
VETERAN LIGHTWEIGHT jockey Robert Reid was ecstatic yesterday after storming to victory aboard WIMBLEDON in the inaugural 1600-metre Robert 'Bob' Marley Memorial Trophy race at Caymanas Park.
Reid, renowned for his powerful finishes aboard late-kicking horses, was the perfect man for the job, racing off the pace down the backstretch with the Tensang Chung-trained four-year-old before unleashing the gelding six-wide of rivals a furlong out.
REID HAPPY
Apart from notching another victory in his 27-year career, Reid was extremely happy that he had won the trophy named in honour of Marley, the reggae legend, around whom he said he grew up and from whom he got the nickname 'Collie Weed'.
"It's a tribute to the king," said Reid, referring to Marley, who is known internationally as the 'king' of reggae music.
Marley, who died in 1981, would have been 60 today and yesterday was celebrated as Bob Marley Day at Caymanas Park. Marley was an ardent racing fan, along with his close fiend, Allan 'Skill' Cole, a former Jamaican international footballer.
"It was inspiring to win the race named in honour of Marley," Reid added, pointing out that it was Marley's friends, 'Charlie Brown' and 'Up Sweet', who first took him to Caymanas Park when he was nine or 10 years old.
"He (Marley) gave me the name 'Collie Weed' and told me it was going to be tough with a name like that, but I am to hang in there, make good for myself and take my family off the gully bank in Waterhouse.
"I did exactly that and it was because of his inspiration," the 44-year-old Reid added.
WIMBLEDON, claimed by Chung for $390,000 from Richard Azan early December, won at odds of 7-2, blowing past 5-2 chance RISTO-CAT, who had just taken over from the 6-5 favourite CRUISING ALTITUDE in a stretch duel.
Storming forward on the outside after turning for home sixth, WIMBLEDON hit the front a half-furlong out and won going away under Reid, who punched the air in jubilation on his way back to the winners' enclosure.
The day's co-feature, the 1,000-metre straight Mercury Sprint, was won by trainer Ryan Darby's CELEBRATION TIME, who made all under apprentice Andron Findley, thwarting the challenge of 3-5 favourite SOUTHSIDE, before staving off a late rally from CARTER WONG under Marklee Buchanan.
UPSTAGED
An expected match-race between 1000-metre straight-track record holder FLYING TIGER and NATURAL PRINCE, failed to materialise in the seventh event. Both were upstaged by Wayne DaCosta's ROYAL MALICE, who swept past rivals a furlong out, winning easily at the end in 58 and three-fifths of a second, much slower than the wind-aided 56.2 posted by FLYING TIGER last Saturday.
Buchanan had a thrilling day in the saddle, booting home a three-timer. He had earlier won the third race with DaCosta's CHADMAN, outfinishing his more fancied stablemate SARAH'S FRIEND. After his victory with ROYAL MALICE, he won the closing event aboard BUTCHER MAN, nabbing SELECT PRINCESS stealing home at the wire under apprentice Patrick Henry.
