Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
MY COLLATERAL, the 7-5 second favourite, is brought back to the winners' enclosure by jockey Paul Francis after an impressive victory in yesterday's Altamont V. Armond Memorial Cup 2000m feature at Caymanas Park. Trained by Welsh Soutar and owned by Clayon Rowe, MY COLLATERAL won by a resounding six lengths in 2:11.2.Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
The American six-year-old horse MY COLLATERAL finally came good at Caymanas Park yesterday with an emphatic victory in the Altamont V. Armomd Memorial Cup feature (claiming $290,000 - $260,000) over 2000 metres, posting his first win from 31 starts locally.
Ridden by in-form Paul 'Country' Francis for owner Clayton Rowe and trainer Welsh Soutar, MY COLLATERAL, installed a 7-5 second favourite in a field of seven, romped home six lengths clear of the 6-5 favourite LADY ISIS who had four lengths to spare over long-time leader YA JUGEY (7-2).
It was the 99-1 outsider MAMA'S GIRL who led passing the stands for the first time, ahead of NO TEAR and YA JUGEY who went through at the clubhouse turn, at which stage MY COLLATERAL was held just off the early pace by Francis.
lengthened strides
YA JUGEY proceeded to lead narrowly from NO TEAR at the halfway stage, but MY COLLATERAL quickly disposed of them to turn for home a good leader.
Pushed out by Francis early in the straight, the son of Binalong Tubac lengthened his strides up the lane for an easy victory. LADY ISIS, who was unable to go the early pace, stayed on from below the distance to finish a clear second.
Having changed stables after finishing fourth in his previous race on a $350,000 tag November 26, MY COLLATERAL who once overcame a life threatening injury when previously conditioned by Kevin Mattis, reported well trained for this race and finally broke the ice under Soutar's guidance.
Francis, who faces a five-day suspension effective Saturday, January 21, had a second winner on the 12-race programme in MINISTEROFFINANCE to be sole leader in the standings with five winners after three racedays.
decisive fashion
The Glenville Morrissey-trained MINISTEROFFINANCE won the overnight allowance race at 1300 metres in decisive fashion under top weight of 57.0kg. He was ridden to dispute the lead with DIGI N' JIGGY after the first 400 metres and opened up from the 600-metre point to turn for home a clear leader.
From then on it was smooth sailing as he kept on strongly to win by 1 1/2 lengths from the fast-finishing 2-1 chance SPANISH SECRETS with former champion Wesley Henry aboard.
The 6-5 favourite GIRL IN GOLD with Charles Hussey riding for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, broke winging from the outside post position, but was quickly relegated to fifth and struggled to finish fourth in the 11-horse field.
Hussey and DaCosta, however, did not leave the track empty handed, thanks to the smart three-year-old debutante BELLA IN BLOOM who gave Hussey an arm-chair ride in winning the 3-y-o maiden condition race by the resounding margin of 7 1/2 lengths as the 1-5 favourite.
BELLA IN BLOOM, one of five winning favourites on the card, is a fashionably bred bay filly by Royal Minister out of Dax The One, bred by Godwin 'Bunny' Bucknor and co-owned by Pat and Mitta Rousseau, and Warren Burrowes.
