Billy Whizz blitzes field to land Knutsford Park Cup
JASON Dacosta’s promising threeyear-old Billy Whizz showed a touch of class in his first win of the season when he easily brushed aside rivals to win the $900,000 Knutsford Park Cup feature event over six furlongs (1,200m) at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Going winless in five prior starts this year, the chestnut gelding who is owned by Von White didn’t have to wait any longer as the Northern Giant — Khadiliah offspring romped home by five and a quarter lengths in an impressive time of 1:13.2 minutes.
Jockey Dick Cardenas got Billy Whizz up and running out of the starting gates as they raced a close third behind Moonova (Dane Dawkins) and Will The Conquerer (Nicholas Hibbert). However, navigating the half mile (800m) turn Billy Whizz surged to the front and from that point, it was smooth sailing to the wire.
The far-striding Billy Whizz turned on the pressure in deep stretch, leaving the rest of the field in his wake as Regal and Royal (Anthony Thomas) came on for second place in the end. Finishing third was the long-time leader Moonova.
It was the second winner on the 10-race programme for Dacosta, who had saddled It’s A Boy (Phillip Parchment) in the previous race going six furlongs also.
Also with two winners was trainer Michael Marlowe and jockey Anthony Thomas. Marlowe was successful with Gambler (Dane Nelson) in the fifth race and Nala’s Bushman (Shane Ellis) in the eighth race, while Thomas won aboard Riddim Up in the fourth race for trainer Steven Todd and Turnonthelight for trainer Gary Griffiths in the sixth race for his double.
Racing continues tomorrow with a programme offering nine races. The feature is the Emma Chen Memorial Trophy. Post time is at 12:50 pm.