Distinctly Irish with 'Hall of Fame' jockey Winston Griffiths aboard, is guided to the winners' enclosure after his emphatic victory in the Eros Trophy feature over 1400 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

IT'S OFFICIAL! Racing boasts not one but two super horses.

In the absence of two-time 'Horse of the Year' MIRACLE MAN, who underwent a successful leg operation a month ago and will be out for the next three months, the 2004 'Horse of the Year' DISTINCTLY IRISH took over the mantle in no uncertain fashion at Caymanas Park yesterday. He scored an emphatic victory under top weight of 60.5kg in the Eros Trophy graded stakes feature over 1400 metres, a race won by MIRACLE MAN last year.

Racing for the first time since his runaway victory in the Harry Jackson Memorial Cup on Boxing Day, DISTINCTLY IRISH, installed a 4-5 favourite with leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths again inthe saddle, stormed through on the outside leaving the furlong pole to outclass his five opponents.

They included the 2006 Caribbean Sprint champion RAMPAGE, as well as the December 9 Gold Cup winner JUST SOME THOUGHTS and CLOCK WORK, winner of the valuable Red Stripe Mile for imported horses last November. CLOCK WORK (5-2) with 'Hall of Fame' jockey Charles Hussey aboard tried to make all, only to be blown away up the lane. The fleet-footed American horse led from RAMPAGE and CHADMAN with the 'big horse' DISTINCTLY IRISH biding his time just off the early pace on the run to the half mile.

But when 'Fanna' Griffiths asked DISTINCTLY IRISH to motor on the outside passing the 600-metre pole, the 2004 Derby and Superstakes winner responded nicely coming wide into the straight when RAMPAGE stepped out on the turn, he disposed of CLOCK WORK early in the last furlong, moving away under a fanning right-hand stick to win by 3 3/4 lengths.

CLOCK WORK was second, a length ahead of the Wesley Henry-ridden RAMPAGE (4-1) with the rank outsider CHADMAN placing fourth at 36-1.

14th win

Owned by Howard Hamilton and trained by 14-time champion Philip Feanny, DISTINCTLY IRISH chalked up his 14th win from 24 career starts with total stakes of $14.4 million. The 6-y-o bay gelding by Irish Quest out of the 1990 Derby winner Distinctly Native was bred by Ken Gooden.

Earlier in the afternoon, SATISFIER, a former top-class campaigner, got up on the line to pip long-time leader PURE JUSTICE by a short head in the knotty 1300-metre race for the James B. Dawes Memorial Cup (claiming $290,000-$260,000). Both the winner and runner-up offered odds of 5-1 in a field of nine, SATISFIER completing a quick double for the owner and trainer combination of Superchard Singh and Robert Darby Sr. Both teamed up to win the previous race with another 5-1 chance, FREE FALL, under former champion Trevor Simpson.

The 11-race programme produced only three winning favourites in ALLEGRO (6-5), FELICIDAD (7-5) and DISTINCTLY IRISH.The lightly-raced BRITISH LA GENERAL at odds of 12-1 in the second race provided a notable upset with leading rider, the apprentice Javour Simpson aboard.