Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The 7-5 favourite AD INFINITUM (second right), responds to a brilliant ride from Dane Nelson to win the mile and quarter Governor General's Stakes by a short head from PRIME MINISTER (left), with Trevor Simpson and IL CAIMANO (right, Richie Mitchell up) at Caymanas Park yesterday. MR. BLAIR is the other horse in the mix. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

In what is easily the most exciting race of the year, AD INFINITUM, under a brilliant ride from Dane Nelson, outbattled highly fancied PRIME MINISTER and the 25-1 outsider IL CAIMANO in a tremendous last furlong duel to win the mile and quarter Governor General's Stakes by a short head at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Despite attracting only six starters, the annual renewal of this valuable grade-one race provided a real treat for the large holiday crowd, many hailing 24-year-old Nelson, who rode the race of his life to bring home the 7-5 favourite under the crushing impost of 60.5kg.

It was the 2007 Governor's Cup winner IL CAIMANO who made most under pressure from DR SOCRATES and then AD INFINITUM, who raced close up on the inside rails from soon after the start. The trio was joined by the lightly weighted three-year-old colt, MR. BLAIR (2-1), leaving the half-mile and with DR SOCRATES quickly dropping away, the stage was set for a thriller.

With AD INFINITUM getting cut off on the inside entering the straight, MR BLAIR and IL CAIMANO turned for home in a neck-and-neck duel. At this stage, PRIME MINISTER loomed large on the outside as they galloped towards the furlong pole, with AD INFINITUM coming back between horses.

All four were virtually in a line early in the last furlong, but Nelson, flashing the left-hand stick ferociously, outbattled both Trevor Simpson aboard PRIME MINISTER and in-form Richie Mitchell on IL CAIMANO, in a blanket finish, for a thrilling victory.

Trained by Anthony 'Baba' Nunes for Barbadian owner Elias Haloute and bred by the Orange Valley Estates Limited, AD INFINITUM, a six-year-old bay gelding by Pangur Ban out of the Peacemaker mare Infinity, recorded his third win from only five starts this season, but this was his first success in grade-one company.

CLASS HORSE

Nunes conceded that his charge was the "class horse" in the field, but in the end he had to give it his all after being stopped on the inside entering the straight.

"This horse gives 110 per cent every time and I hope his heart is still in the right place for the November 8 Superstakes," said Nunes, who disclosed that he gave the jockey no instructions on how to ride the horse.

"Dane had ridden him on three previous occasions, so he knows the horse pretty well ... It wasn't necessary to give him instructions," the trainer explained.

In a way, this victory is some comfort for the disappointment of Nunes losing his classy three-year-old colt, ROYAL IMAGE, who was put to sleep on Saturday evening after breaking both seismoid bones in his right ankle at exercise on Friday morning.

Meanwhile, FABULOUSCONNECTION, running as the marginal 9-5 favourite with Shane Ellis riding for trainer Richard Azan, made a smashing debut (post-to-post) to win the Hi-Pro Stables Choice Feeds Trophy co-feature over 1200 metres for native bred maiden two-year-olds.

Owned by the Arabs and bred by Jack DeLisser, the dark bay colt by Skipping out of Spirit of Jamaica, purchased for $1.5 million in last November's thoroughbred yearling sale at Caymanas Park, won by five lengths from CLASSICAL BULLET (8-1) in a field of 14.