RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPER
KAMIR, winning yesterday with Winston Griffiths aboard.
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
THE odds-on favourites SI MI TRIAL and KAMIR romped the final prep races for the season's first classics at Caymanas Park yesterday to establish themselves as firm favourites for the 1000 and 2000 Guineas respectively on April 2.
First to do so was 3-5 favourite SI MI TRIAL in the ninth race, the $675,000 Thornbird Stakes over 1400 metres for native-bred three-year-old fillies.
Ridden by four-time champion Charles Hussey for owner Edison Chai and trainer Wayne DaCosta, the lightly raced SI MI TRIAL, who is unbeaten in three starts, made most to win by 4 3/4 lengths from 2-1 second favourite VICTORIA under Trinidadian jockey Brian Harding in a field of nine.
She turned for home some three lengths clear of VICTORIA, who led early, and although inclined to drift out leaving the furlong pole, kept on strongly for an emphatic win in the fairly good time of 1:26.3.
The 5-1 chance ALL FOR PLEASURE, a stable-companion VICTORIA (both trained by reigning champion Philip Feanny), finished third, a farther 2 1/4 lengths adrift, while 36-1 outsider POLISH MARKET was fourth.
A chestnut filly by Crucial Trial out of the Mr. Nutcracker mare Bonsai, SI MI TRIAL who defied death as a two-year-old when she was sidelined by pneumonia during the second half of last year, had previously won the Hot Line Stakes over 1200 metres on February 18 when having her first outing in seven months.
Meanwhile, KAMIR, voted the champion two-year-old of 2004, made an auspicious seasonal debut in winning the Prince Consort Stakes also over 1400 metres, this for native bred three-year-old colts and geldings. The classy bay colt by Prime Rate Powers out of the French Champagne mare Kamella was ridden by leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths for owner/trainer Richard Azan, winning in the smart time of 1:25.0.
Clear of rivals
Asked to chase the lightly weighted SOUTHSIDE (11-1) from the outset, KAMIR eased into the lead approaching the 600-metre pole and apparently cruising when turning for home some three lengths clear of rivals, proceeded to win impressively by six lengths from heads-on stable-companions AD INFINITUM (9-1) and ESTOY LISTO (20-1).
The 3-1 second favourite NATURAL DESIRE, with Simpson astride, failed to go the early pace and had to settle for fourth, while HIGH GRADE was declared a late non-starter reducing the field to nine.
Azan and Simpson had a second winner in RAGING STORM (7-5) in the 3-y-o maiden race.
Simpson, already slapped with a three-day suspension for careless riding commencing next Saturday, had a third winner in NEUTRALIZER in the first race, but the 4-y-o colt was disqualified and placed second for causing interference to highly fancied JAGMAR early in the last furlong and their position reversed. Simpson has been summoned to appear before the Stewards on Tuesday at the offices of the Racing Commission.
