Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Harding ... piloted Ole King Cole to victory. - FILE
OLE KING COLE finally came good at Caymanas Park yesterday, striding out nicely from early in the straight to win the Linval McFarlane Trophy race over 1600 metres for maiden three-year-olds in fine style.
His job was made a lot easier when the 3-5 favourite SANKOFA, who was the subject of a massive gamble, slipped up while being loaded into the starting gate and was withdrawn by the vet.
OLE KING COLE, with champion jockey Brian Harding aboard, was then installed the new favourite at 3-5 and duly justified the support with a decisive 2 1/4-length victory over the 2-1 second choice MYTHICAL PEGASUS under leading jockey Charles Hussey.
MYTHICAL PEGASUS missed the break from the number one post position and was outpaced as a result. OLE KING COLE, on the other hand, raced prominently in fifth as VERITY, under veteran jockey David 'Scorcher' McKenzie, led under pressure from the 99-1 outsider NAHIMA with MARKET DAZZLE close up.
OLE KING COLE turned for home on the heels of VERITY and disposed of the grey filly in a flash. And when MYTHICAL PEGASUS, who was forced to come wide into the straight, began to loom wide outside approaching the distance, OLE KING COLE found another gear in mid-stretch to leave the issue beyond doubt.
MYTHICAL PEGASUS finished clear of the 99-1 outsider ECSTASY in third, while GOLDEN LOUISE, at 11-1, was fourth of the 10 runners.
FIRST WIN
A bay colt by Royal Minister out of the Schism mare Lady Sailor, OLE KING COLE is owned and trained by Anthony 'Baba' Nunes and bred by George Gobault. This was his first win from six starts.
Harding and Nunes had a second winner on the card in 1-2 favourite TWEEDSIDE in the second race over the circular nine course.
The four-year-old colt exploded in the last furlong to win by 1 1/2 lengths from long-time leader FUSILIER.
Harding, who started riding late in the season, is steadily climbing up the jockeys' standings and has so far ridden seven winners.
This puts him 11 adrift of leading rider Hussey, who failed to post a winner yesterday and is just two ahead of closest rival Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry. Henry won the fifth race aboard 3-5 favourite DORALDO (made all) to move to 16 winners.
