Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
WITH THE untimely death of trainer Howard Phillipps putting a damper on the proceedings at Caymanas Park yesterday, THE ADMIRAL made amends for his first and only defeat some weeks ago with an emphatic victory in the round five overnight allowance feature for the Wayne DaCosta Trophy run in honour of the champion trainer.
Installed an 8-5 favourite with powerful jockey Clive Lynch aboard, THE ADMIRAL disputed the early lead with the Wayne DaCosta trained 3-y-o gelding CRUCIAL POINT in the field of 10 before going through approaching the home turn.
Hitting top gear on entering the straight, THE ADMIRAL moved away from the pack to win by 4 3/4 lengths from 2-1 second favourite RIVER JORDON under Shane Ellis. Closing up for third, another 1 1/2 away, was topweight HEDIA'S PROSPECT (7-1) with Charles Hussey astride, while the DaCosta-trained KING AL (9-2) was fourth.
POSITIVE VIBES, trained by Howard Phillipps who was shot and killed by a lone gunman at his stable some 15 minutes before the scheduled first race, was declared a late non-starter as were five other horses (JUMPFORJOY, ALTUS, CRUCIAL TIMES, LADY ISIS, PRINCESS GOODHEART) from the barn of the slain trainer.
Administered lasix for the first time, THE ADMIRAL is owned by Father & Son and trained by Owen Sharpe. Bred by Owen and Solomon Sharpe (Father & Son), the fleet-footed 4-y-o gelding by Law Of The Sea out of the Studdish mare Radiance has now won five races from only six career starts, including his first four.
EARLIER
Earlier in the afternoon, SIR KNIGHT running at odds of 10-1 with last season's most improved jockey Paul Francis riding for eight-time champion trainer Kenneth Mattis, ran on strongly to win the Mercury Sprint co-feature over the straight five course, this for native bred maiden three-year-olds colts and geldings.
The betting made the Hussey-ridden MAGIC DRAGON a 3-5 favourite, but the bay colt experienced traffic problems and finished out of the frame.
SIR KNIGHT, who actually finished behind MAGIC DRAGON when both made their debut behind OCEAN LINER in a three-year-old sprint on January 17, reported a different animal and after being outpaced by the leaders MOZURI (5-2), LA RUDE (3-1), KING CHARLES (26-1) and MUSIC MAKER (2-1), ran on strongly in mid-track to catch and beat KING CHARLES by a length in the field of 11.
The winner, a lightly raced dark bay colt by Royal Minister out of Rajindeer, is owned by Rex Royale and bred by Merrick Alexander.
Paul Francis, who also capped the Champion Apprentice award at Thursday's None Such/Horse of the Year Dinner at the Jamaica Pegasus, emerged the day's most successful rider with two winners in SIR KNIGHT and SOUTHERN DANCER in the sixth race over the straight five course.
Francis, who narrowly missed a third aboard PATAS DE FUEGO in the seventh, has now ridden six winners so far this season to join suspended champion Trevor Simpson, Oneil Mullings and Shane Ellis, one adrift of the new leader, apprentivce Dane Nelson who rode one winner, BANJUHAR.
Meanwhile, the season's first mid-week race meet is scheduled for this Wednesday, February 11.
