By Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer 
SI MI TRIAL (Charles Hussey) cruises home by 4 1/2 lengths in the $525,000 Hot Line Stakes over 1200 metres for native bred three-year-old fillies (non-winners of two) at Caymanas Park yesterday to be unbeaten in two starts. - Carlington Wilmot/Freelance Photographer
HOT FAVOURITE SI MI TRIAL and 12-1 outsider ROYAL COMMAND scored contrasting victories in the Hot Line and Sir Howard Stakes co-features over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday, as the three-year-old campaign leading up to the season's first classic continued.
In the Hot Line Stakes for native bred three-year-old fillies, SI MI TRIAL, installed a 1-5 favourite with four-time champion Charles Hussey aboard, returned from a near seven-month absence, spreadeagling her nine opponents to be unbeaten in two starts.
Trained by former champion Wayne DaCosta for owner Edison Chai, the chestnut filly by Crucial Trial out of Bonsai was not the best away from the gates, but was allowed to settle just off the early pace as ROYAL SEA led at a fast clip from another outsider WHEELS OF LAW and highly fancied VICTORIA.
MENDED NICELY
SI MI TRIAL, who mended nicely to be thereabouts in fourth passing the half mile, was soon sent in chase of ROYAL SEA and forged ahead approaching the home turn.
Thereafter it was smooth sailing, as after turning for home a two-length leader on the outside, she lengthened her strides impressively for an emphatic victory, scoring by 4 1/2 lengths.
In the intense battle for second. HAIL THE I (8-1), VICTORIA (-2) and CHARRITO (9-2) flashed past the post abreast of each other. It required the photo-finish camera to sort them out in that order.
After making a smashing debut over the round five as a two-year-old last July, SI MI TRIAL almost never made it to the racecourse again as she went down with a serious case of pneumonia. However, she recovered nicely in recent months and having trained exceptionally well in preparation for this race, it was only a matter of how far she would win by.
Hussey in particular was impressed.
"She left the gates a bit flat-footed but I allowed her to relax in the early stages until she gradually found her best stride. In the end she gave me an armchair ride and this being only her second outing in seven months, I think she has great potential and should get the Guineas trip," Hussey said.
Later in the afternoon, the Richard Azan trained ROYAL COMMAND showed marked improvement to win the Sir Howard Stakes in a driving finish from 4-1 chance AD INFINITUM whose lesser fancied stable-companion ESTOY LISTO (9-2) finished a farther length away third in a field of eight colts and geldings. He was ridden by Allen Maragh.
In a fiercely contested race, ESTOY LISTO, with Brian Harding astride, and STATE PRINCE (4-1), under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths, disputed the lead throughout the backstretch, with 4-5 favourite DIGI N' JIGGY, under champion jockey Trevor Simpson, and ROYAL COMMAND not far off.
ANYBODY'S RACE
With no fewer than five horses spread right across the track approaching the distance, it appeared to be anybody's race before ROYAL COMMAND, who was never far off the pace, went by ESTOY LISTO midway through the last furlong, then held on grimly to deny the fast-finishing AD INFINITUM, with Shane Ellis aboard, on the outside, by a neck.
A 3-y-o chestnut gelding by Irish Quest out of the Joe Slew mare Thanatos, ROYAL COMMAND, who notched his second consecutive win in three starts this season, is co-owned by Azan and Rohan Crichton.
Meanwhile, the 1-2 favourite LA RUDE made all impressively to win the round five claiming ($140,000) for the Lester Davidson Memorial Cup with apprentice Kerry-Gayle Robinson aboard.
Champion jockey Trevor Simpson, who missed the three previous racedays, booted home two winners in the DaCosta-trained GOOD COMPANY (6-5, made all) in the circular nine open allowance race, and 9-5 favourite REGGAE RULES in the closing race to assume sole leadership in the jockeys' championship with 10 winners on what was his 36th birthday.
Shane Ellis, meanwhile, failed to ride a winner from some highly fancied rides and will leave the island today to ride at Woodbine in Toronto, Canada for the remainder of the year.
