In-form trainer, Robert Darby Sr. posted two winners. - File

Pick-9 players experienced a rough passage at Caymanas Park on Saturday and the carryover to this weekend is $1 million.

With odds-on favourites such as SIR KHAN, STRONG HOPE, HIDALGO and BLOW WIND BLOW mowed down like sitting ducks, consolation prizes were paid to punters with six of nine winners, each receiving $3,777.50.

One of the biggest favourites to fall was the 1-2 chance BLOW WIND BLOW who found the front running SEA DA BREEZE (9-2) too hot to handle in the closing race over 1600 metres, this marking race was No.2 in the CTL Claiming series.

After the race was over, 30 claims were submitted for BLOW WIND BLOW who, to many, had looked a good thing, now dropped in class and working well for his new trainer, Anthony 'Baba' Nunes.

HIDALGO, a 6-5 favourite, came a trifle late in the seventh race and was beaten in a blanket finish by 5-1 chance FREE FALL, a chance ride for five-time champion Trevor Simpson and the front runningTWENTY NINE. The winning distances were a neck by a neck.

Veteran trainer Robert Darby Sr. is turning out the winners with such regularity that he has turned back the clock 10 years. Back then, he was ranked as one of our top trainers.

Back-to-back winners

On Saturday he posted back-to-back winners in FREE FALL and SATISFIER (5-1), both for owner Superchard Singh, and is a trainer to note when his horses are ticking.

It should be recalled that Darby turned in one of the finest training feats of the '90s when he saddled a claiming horse, PRINCE AKEEM, to finish second in the 1996 Red Stripe Superstakes, having the previously unbeaten Triple Crown champion WAR ZONE behind in third.

The race was won by the Trinidadian horse, ADORING GROOM with Brian Harding aboard.

What can one-say about DISTINCTLY IRISH who humbled rivals under top weight of 60.5kg in the Eros Trophy feature over 1400 metres with leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths aboard.

To those who said the trip was too short, I say shame on you. Class is class and horse is horse. Last year, it was MIRACLE MAN. And this could well be the year of the Irish.

- OC