The 17-1 outsider, FORMULA ONE, with in-form Oneil Mullings aboard, overhauls long-time leader RIGMAROLE (partly hidden) close home to win the Labour Day Trophy holiday feature over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park, yesterday. The grey CIRCLE DROME was a close third. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

FORMULA ONE, running at odds of 17-1 with in-form jockey Oneil Mullings aboard, got up in the nick of time to deny long-time leader RIGMAROLE in the Labour Day Trophy high claiming feature over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

It was the 9-2 chance RIGMAROLE who made most of the running from SATISFIER (4-1) and FORMULA ONE, who went in chase from the half mile to turn for home a length or two adrift of the leader.

Keeping on well, leaving the furlong pole under a strong ride from Ameth Robles, RIGMAROLE looked the likely winner when holding FORMULA ONE, SATISFIER and the 8-5 favourite CIRCLE DROME at bay. But the 5-y-o gelding faltered in the last 100 metres, giving way to FORMULA ONE who won by three-quarters of a length in a driving finish. Both CIRCLE DROME, on the outside, and SATISFIER finished close up in third and fourth respectively as OH NO GRANDPA and ALL FIRED UP were declared non-starters, reducing the field to 10.

Highly fancied JACK BE GOOD (2-1) finished a close-up sixth despite experiencing a rough passage in the straight. Additionally, five-time champion jockey Trevor Simpson failed to honour his ride aboard JACK BE GOOD after falling from his mount, ASKAWOMAN, in the previous race for the Master Blaster Trophy. Ian Spence came in as a late replacement.

Fittest in line-up

FORMULA ONE has now won twice from his past three starts. The seven-year-old dark bay gelding by Sir Lal Bahadur out of Miss Mary is owned by Cardinal Sin and bred by George Miles. Shand was quietly confident of victory and proclaimed after the race: "The horse was one of the fittest in the line-up. On top of that, I loved the draw (11) and the jockey felt he was aboard a winner."

On a day when apprentice jockeys Carlton Malcolm (Absolute Stormer, Cat Legend) and André Martin (Dubie, Queen Of My Heart) rode two winners each, the Wayne DaCosta-trained QUEEN OF MY HEART (7-5 fav) won the Master Blaster Trophy race over the straight five course. And RISING MOON (5-2) got up in the nick of time under apprentice Oral Bennett to win Race No. 5 in the CTL Claiming series over 1100 metres for trainer Linton Calder.