Ainsley Walters, Staff Reporter
RISTO-CAT (outside), with Paul Francis aboard, clinches the Labour Day Trophy at Caymanas Park, yesterday. Second was ZICKWARTY (right) with Andrew Thomas in the saddle. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
TRAINER HOWARD Mc-Leod's down-in-class RISTO-CAT, yesterday outbattled Robert Darby's American-bred ZICKWARTY to win the 1200-metre Labour Day Trophy race by a length-and-a-half at Caymanas Park.
Running at odds of 7-2 under jockey Paul Francis, RISTO-CAT stalked 5-1 shot ZICKWARTY down the backstretch and took over a half-furlong out for a comfortable victory in the $420,000-$390,000 claiming event run as the 10th race.
Both horses were reporting down in class, having last competed among Overnight Allowance company in recent races. However, RISTO-CAT, who was narrowly beaten by ROYAL MALICE at long odds on March 15, proved stronger inside the final furlong and pulled off from Andrew Thomas-ridden ZICKWARTY after collaring the five-year-old American speedster.
HEARTOFAMAVERICK THIRD
Champion trainer Wayne Da-Costa's HEARTOFAMAVERICK, who was also edging down in class and went off as the 8-5 favourite for a shot at the holiday trophy event, ran on to finish third after turning for home fifth, but was never a threat to the first two past the post.
FUTZ, who was hunting a hat-trick of wins up in class at odds of 4-1, swerved violently at the start, almost unseating Phillip Clunis. The five-year-old American-bred recovered somewhat but was used up to gain ground down the backstretch and weakened out of contention after turning for home fourth.
Champion jockey, Brian Harding and Trevor Simpson, whom he dethroned last season, were the day's leading riders, with three wins apiece.
Harding got off the mark in the opening event with a chance ride aboard even-money favourite SOPHIA, who made all to beat three-year-old maidens at 1700 metres, winning by almost nine lengths.
Harding's other winners were CHIEF COUNCILOR in the second at 1300 metres, and 16-1 outsider SHALOMI KUMAR in the seventh.
CHIEF COUNCILOR romped home by seven lengths, beating maidens, and SHALOMI KUMAR exploded a half-furlong out among four-year-old non-winners-of-three straight to beat BLACK RIVER and hot favourite VICTORIA in a driving finish at 1000 metres straight.
Simpson won the sixth aboard SIMPLEXITY at odds of 9-2 before taking back-to-back races astride MAMBO, also 9-2, and HOUDINI, an even-money favourite, in the eighth and ninth races respectively.
Trainer Richie Todd's MAMBO outfinished 5-1 chance MR. VIGOROUS at 1200 metres among $160,000 claimers.
HOUDINI AGAIN, a four-year-old American-bred colt trained by Philip Feanny, stayed on strongly inside the final half-furlong to thwart a sustained challenge from Harding-ridden KYSHA BABY at 1000 metres straight.
