Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

MEDICAL ACCOUNT, running at odds of 7-2, won the Violet Armond Memorial Cup feature over 1600 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday, but his job was made easier following the death of the hot ante-post favourite BANJUHAR from a freak accident in his stall.

It happened some three hours before the race when BANJUHAR, having returned from the Salix Centre where he was administered Lasix at about 11:00 a.m., reportedly fell in his stall and broke his neck.

New trainer Winston Morris, who notched his first career win when BANJUHAR obliged over 1600 metres on August 29, said he brought back the horse to the stable about midday after receiving Lasix, a medication to stop bleeding.

"I was preparing to go to the track at about 1:00 p.m. and when I checked the stalls, I saw BANJUHAR lying against the wall with his head twisted.

Bad fall

"It was obviously a freak accident ... he could have had a bad fall and landed on his neck. It was a bitter pill to swallow considering that the horse had given me my first win as a trainer and I was confident of winning again today," said the distraught trainer who is popularly called 'Churchill'.

Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) veterinarian Sophia Ramial, who was on duty at the track, examined the horse and confirmed that his neck was broken.

"The way his neck was positioned would indicate that this was the case. It was twisted in an awkward position," Ramial said.

Owned by Owen Pryce and bred by Y.S. 1955 Limited, BANJUHAR, a 7-y-o bay gelding by Pat N Jac out of the Exotic Traveler mare Alejandra, achieved a career record of 11 wins from 69 starts and $4,076,150. Meanwhile, the Donovan Bruce-trained MEDICAL ACCOUNT rallied strongly in the last furlong to win the feature by 2 1/2 lengths from the 6-5 favourite SANTA ANITA GIRL in a field of five.

One of two winners for jockey Devon A. Thomas, MEDICAL ACCOUNT led for the first half of the race before giving way to the grey SANTA ANITA GIRL (chased) leaving the half mile.

But, under a determined ride from Thomas, MEDICAL ACCOUNT came back strongly on the outside to outfinish SANTA ANITA GIRL, going by after a brief duel in the last 100 metres to win going away. It was MEDICAL ACCOUNT's third win from 13 starts this season.

Omar Walker rode two winners on the nine-race programme to join Trevor Simpson at the top of the jockeys' standings, both with 53 winners.

Walker won the opening race for native bred two-year-olds aboard odds-on favourite THUNDER STORM for leading trainer Wayne DaCosta and came back to win the next race aboard even money favourite MEDICAL REPORT. Simpson was winless from three rides.