Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer
Winning trainer Robert Darby Sr. (right) congratulating apprentice Carlton Malcolm after he rode KERMIT to victory in yesterday's 1200m Colin Melhado Memorial Cup feature at Caymanas Park. KERMIT won at odds of 9-2. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
TRAINER Robert Darby's super-fit nine-year-old gelding, KERMIT, yesterday shot to the lead two and a half-furlongs out and moved away from rivals to convincingly win the 1200-metre Colin Melhado Memorial feature race at Caymanas Park.
Partnered by leading apprentice Carlton Malcolm, 9-2 chance KERMIT broke sharply from post position five to chase 19-1 outsider HARMONICS down the backstretch before shooting to the lead off the final turn.
Full of running entering the straight, KERMIT's only danger appeared to be STORMY SKY with United States-based jockey Andrew Ramgeet hitting top stride and going past HARMONICS.
Ramgeet threw the works at STORMY SKY but KERMIT, in receipt of 11 lbs from his pursuer, due to Malcolm's three-kilo claim, kept on strongly over the final furlong and a half to win going away by more than three lengths.
Shared honours
Darby, known for his expertise with claiming horses, had earlier won the second event with the American-bred TRIPLE ACCOUNT to share training honours with veteran Vincent Edwards.
Edwards posted a smart double, landing the third with BOMBAY PRINCESS and HEY TRAIN. Both were ridden by apprentice Jason Simpson, who, along with Javour Simpson, ended the day snapping at the heels of Malcolm in the apprentice standings with two-timers.
Javour Simpson, partnering CIRCLE DROME in the 1200-metre fifth race, forced a dead-heat with ITAL QUEEN and returned to post a smashing victory with SIR KHAN for trainer Dennis Lee in the 10th at 1820 metres.
Jason's double moved him to 22 wins in the apprentice standings, one behind Javour, who trails Malcolm by one winner.
Carryovers at $7.8m
The withdrawal of key runners and a wicked 15-1 upset by ASK JOE in the ninth event, resulted in both Super-6 and Pick-9 bets being carried over.
The Super-6 carryover to Saturday's card stands at $1.9m and the Pick-9 at a whopping $5.9m.
Pick-9 and Super-6 players were again left cursing their luck after ante-post favourites QUEEN OF MY HEART in the sixth race and MAGIC DRAGON, a late scratch in the Colin Melhado Memorial, wrecked their bets.
The stinging non-runners threw open both races as 5-1 shot HEY TRAIN outfinished 3-2 favourite JCD SLEW and KERMIT scored at 9-2, upstaging 5-2 chance PADDY'S STORM, who most Pick-9 and Super-6 bettors would have received as compensation for the non-runner MAGIC DRAGON.
