Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterFOUR-TIME CHAMPION jockey Charles Hussey enjoyed what was perhaps his most memorable day since he started riding in 1970 when he booted home SI MI TRIAL and COLTRANE in the season's first classics, the 1000 and 2000 Guineas over 1600 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.
The last time this feat was achieved by a jockey was in 1993 when five-time champion Winston Griffiths won the 1000 Guineas with the filly VESTIA and the 2000 Guineas with TAI FU CHIEH, both trained by 14-time champion Philip Feanny. They also took the double the previous year with CLASSIQUE and MILLIGRAM.
DIFFERENT TRAINERS
In contrast, Hussey's feat was achieved for different trainers, the 1000 Guineas for native bred three-year-old fillies going to the howling 1-5 favourite SI MI TRIAL, who was saddled by
former champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, and the 2000 Guineas to the Richard Azan owned and trained COLTRANE, a 3-1 third favourite in a field of 11 colts and geldings.
SI MI TRIAL, who recently romped home in the Thornbird Stakes (Guineas Trial) over 1400 metres, led narrowly from the Feanny-trained VICTORIA (5-1) under Trinidadian jockey Brian Harding.
She turned for home a length ahead of VICTORIA, with ALL FOR PLEASURE (5-1) not far adrift in third at this stage, then kept on stoutly under strong right-hand whipping up the lane to win by 2 3/4 lengths from VICTORIA, with the Ramon Parish-ridden HAIL THE I (8-1) staying on along the rails for third, a farther 1 3/4 lengths away. Eight ran.
Owned by Edison Chai and bred by Chai, Louis Lyn and Hugh Williams, SI MI TRIAL, a chestnut filly by Crucial Trial out of the Mr. Nutcracker mare Bonsai, is unbeaten in four starts and pushed her stakes earnings
to just over $2 million in the process.
Hussey said he decided to hold the filly together on this occasion and was not perturbed when VICTORIA came upside, passing the half mile.
"This is a filly with a lot of class and she put the issue beyond doubt by quickening early in the straight and that was it," Hussey said.
DaCosta, who had previously won the fillies Guineas with THORNBIRD (1984) and ONE ONE NINE (awarded first place by the Racing Commission on the disqualification of Aero Commander who returned a positive test in 2003), said:
"She seemed to be labouring over the last two furlongs, but had strained a tendon after her last race and we had to train her gingerly for the Guineas.
"Still, I am satisfied with this performance. As far as the upcoming Oaks is concerned, I didn't see anybody gaining on her at the finish and providing she shows no ill effects from this race, she will be back".
Sponsored by Courts Jamaica Limited, the Oaks is scheduled to be run over 2000 metres on April 23.
BATTLE FOR FAVOURITISM
In the 2000 Guineas, the recent Prince Consort Trial Stakes winner KAMIR (Griffiths up) a stable-companion of COLTRANE and old rival MIRACLE MAN under champion jockey Trevor Simpson, had a battle for favouritism, both going off joint favourites at 4-5 with the latter selling a handful more tickets.
Both also duelled for the
lead throughout the backstretch, eventually playing into the hands of COLTRANE who bided his time just off the early pace in third/fourth. COLTRANE stormed through on the outside approaching the distance to win by 1 1/2 lengths from MIRACLE MAN who, it was widely believed, was in receipt of a hurried ride from the champion jockey.
The winner's lesser-fancied stable companion ROYAL COMMAND (45-1) ran on well for third under Parish, with AD INFINITUM (40-1) placing fourth with Harding aboard.
Last season's champion 2-y-o KAMIR (Griffiths up), who
led marginally from the aggressively ridden MIRACLE MAN, weakened after giving way to MIRACLE MAN entering the straight to finish seventh, beaten 10 3/4 lengths.
RODE TO INSTRUCTIONS
COLTRANE, who won five of his seven races as a two-year-old, was racing for the first time since finishing third to KAMIR in the Supreme Ventures 2-Y-O Stakes last Boxing Day. By Royal Minister out of the French Champagne mare Ebony Fire, the bay gelding was bred by the Orange Valley Estates Limited.
Hussey, who paid tribute to Azan for bringing back COLTRANE to top shape, said he rode to instructions. "They went fast and I elected to wait. In the end, the pace came back to me".
Azan, meanwhile, disclosed that COLTRANE developed a problem just prior to the 2-y-o Stakes.
"That's why I didn't want to give him a race, but he responded well to training and was right for this one," the trainer said.
Meanwhile, the DaCosta-trained GOOD COMPANY (6-5), part-owned by Chai, upstaged his recent conqueror and 3-5 favourite HERECOMESFUDGIE to win the Legal Light Trophy graded stakes over 1820 metres, providing Simpson with one of three winners on the 11-race programme.
