Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Jockey Dane Nelson raises his whip in triumph aboard the front-running American colt CLOCK WORK as he passes the post a clear winner of the 34th running of the Gold Cup race over 1400 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday. CLOCK WORK was one of three winners for leading trainer Wayne DaCosta on the 13-race programme. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
THE ILLUSTRIOUS five-year-old horse A KING IS BORN ended his career on a losing note at Caymanas Park yesterday when he was beaten into third place by the speedy American 3-y-o colt CLOCK WORK in the 34th running of the Gold Cup over 1400 metres.
CLOCK WORK, installed a 6-5 second favourite with Dane Nelson riding for champion trainer-designate Wayne DaCosta, made all the running in the popular grade one handicap race, winning by 1 3/4 lengths from his lesser fancied stable-companion FORMALLY GOLD (4-1), who chased him for most of the way in a field of six.
A KING IS BORN, bidding to win the race for the second straight year with leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths, raced prominently in third under customary top weight of 59kg. But although looming into second entering the straight and looking likely to make a race of it approaching the distance, found old rival CLOCK WORK a different horse on this occasion.
In the end, 'The King' (3-5 favourite) failed to repel a late rally from FORMALLY GOLD on the inside for second, as he was beaten for only the second time from seven starts this season.
Despite the loss, the chestnut horse by Royal Minister out of the 1990 Guineas and Derby winner Distinctly Native, will be remembered as one of the finest thoroughbreds to grace the Caymanas track. His racing record of 21 wins from 27 starts lifetime plus stakes earnings of $12.1 million speaks volumes for the class and character of the 2003 'Horse of the Year', who has distinguished himself by winning races as diverse as the Guineas, Derby and Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint.
His owner Howard Hamilton, obviously disappointed, had few words: "He's finished now," he declared. "But words cannot describe the joy he gave me over the last few years," he added.
CLOCK WORK is co-owned by Winston Kong and DaCosta who summed up the colt's victory this way:
"After his impressive fast time win in the Red Stripe Mile on November 12, I knew he was fresh and ready for A King is Born. He is now a seasoned horse and the mantle could well have been passed over to him today," said DaCosta who posted three winners on the 13-race programme.
HARDING TIGHTENS SCREWS
Meanwhile, leading jockey Brian Harding tightened the screws on reigning champion Trevor Simpson in their ongoing battle for the jockeys' title, booting home three winners on the card in favourites THE MINISTER, CRUISING ALTITUDE and LA REINA to move to 100 wins for the season.
Simpson surprisingly failed to ride a winner from 11 mounts and was left stranded on 95 with only three racedays remaining.
Significantly, Harding's trio of winners are trained by his guv'nor Anthony 'Baba' Nunes for Barbadian owner Elias Haloute, who is locked in a dogfight with Alexander Haber for the owners' championship.
Haber, however, had a winner in the DaCosta-trained NATURAL PRINCE (7-5), one of three winners for in-form lightweight jockey Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry who also chalked up three winners on the previous Saturday.
