Prolific Princess upsets in Ahwhofah feature
Jamaica’s Tishana Hanson (left) gets to a pass ahead of Susan Pettitt of Australia in a Fast5 World Series match in Australia yesterday. The hosts won 35-19. In another match yesterday, Jamaica clipped South Africa 35-33.
RUNNING ON, strongly leaving the furlong pole, PROLIFIC PRINCESS scored a 10-1 upset in the inaugural running of the Ahwhofah Sprint over 1200 metres for overnight allowance horses at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Ridden by Paul ‘Country’ Francis for trainer Neive Graham and popular owner O’Shaun Connection, the 4-y-o chestnut filly won by 11¼4 lengths from long-time leader DREAMLINER under leading jockey Omar Walker with a similar margin to highly fancied ROYAL ASSAULT (5-2) in third. Fourteen ran.
As expected, TALENTED TONY K (5-1) led in the early stages before giving way to DREAMLINER and ROYAL ASSAULT, leaving the half mile as the 2-1 favourite BERRANCA raced off the early pace in fifth.
In the straight, PROLIFIC PRINCESS showed how much she had improved. She stormed through on the outside, passing the battling leaders DREAMLINER and ROYAL ASSAULT on the rails at a crucial stage for a decisive win, her fifth from 15 starts this season.
SECOND WINNER
Graham and O’Shaun Connetion teamed up for a second winner on the card in 2-1 chance JUNIOR DON, ridden from off the pace by Walker in the fifth race over 1400 metres.
Also notching two winners was trainer Paul ‘Sleeper’ Charlton in the divided straight five race with 7-2 chance AFRICA and 6-5 favourite BOLD SYMPHONY, both easy winners, as well as top apprentice Bebeto Harvey, who booted home DEMOLITION BOY (2-1) and 6-5 favourite RUNNING STAR.
Shocker of the day came in the third race for maiden two-year-olds in which the howling 1-9 favourite PONTIUS PILATE, racing for the first time since fetching the record price of $5 million in last year’s TOBA yearling sale, could only manage third to 44-1 outsider THUNDEREBLE with Ricardo Duhaney riding for trainer Gary Subratie.
Ridden by outgoing champion Shane Ellis for trainer Anthony Nunes, PONTIUS PILATE, by Forest Danger out of Sea Treaty, was outpaced in fourth in the backstretch as SHE’S A LEGACY and THUNDEREBLE disputed the lead to the last furlong and, although staying on, never looked like catching the leaders and finished two lengths third.