Holiday hat-trick for Gordon, Chen

CHAMPION apprentice Doushane Gordon and trainer Dwight Chen started the 2011 racing year in spectacular fashion at Caymanas Park yesterday, teaming up to post a three-timer on the 11-race card including 2-1 chance J. R'S DREAM in the 1300-metre New Year's Day trophy race.

J. R'S DREAM closed a triple for Gordon and Chen after they opened the new racing season with MEDICAL REPORT at 5-2 in the 1300-metre first race for $550,000 claimers, followed by PRINCE THEO at 9-5 in the fifth event for open allowance runners at 1200 metres.

Gordon won all three races in driving finishes especially the open allowance in which he produced PRINCE THEO with a scorching run in the last half-furlong.

PRINCE THEO nailed CLASSY PROSPECT at the wire, winning by a nose, with champion jockey Omar Walker trying to steal home following a stretch duel with MINISTER OF JUSTICE.

MEDICAL REPORT, a tough 10-year-old gelding who won 11 of his 25 career victories last year, got home by a half length in the opening event.

Kept along the rail by Gordon, MEDICAL REPORT pounced on THE CHIEF at the top of the straight and stayed on strongly for his fourth consecutive win, his 25th in 77 starts.

Gordon showed superb timing aboard J. R'S DREAM in the eighth event, joining ESQUIRE and ROLEX at the three furlong marker and rousing his mount a furlong and a half out to grab the lead in mid-track.

However, Gordon had to ride out his mount to stave off a renewed challenge from ESQUIRE who stuck to the task under Panamanian jockey, Ameth Robles and lost by a neck in a tremendous rally close home.

Last year, for the second consecutive season, Gordon featured in a close encounter for the champion-apprentice title.

In 2009, his debut year, he shared honours in a tie with Richard Mairs. In 2010, he seemed destined to lose his crown after Aaron Chatrie rose to prominence out of Anthony Nunes' barn.

However, a motor vehicle accident early in the last quarter of the year ended Chatrie's bid and Gordon won the title by one winner, 58-57, booting home TOBAGO on December 22 for Welsh Soutar and owner Oneil 'Sweety Man' Markland.

Gordon's 58 winners had him finishing fourth in the jockeys' standings behind Omar Walker with 109, Dane Nelson on 69 and Dick Cardenas with 64.

Bright start

The new year of racing also started brightly for trainer Gary Subratie who posted BURST OF ENERGY to a second consecutive runaway win after acquiring the American-bred from former champion trainer Philip Feanny.

BURST OF ENERGY cruised down effortlessly leaving the three-furlong marker to dispose of long-time leader LITTLE WASP at the top of the lane for an easy three-length win in the 11-furlong CTL Fan Appreciation Day trophy race.

BURST OF ENERGY was one of two winners for Subratie who had earlier landed the 1000-metre straight sixth event with APPELLANT who made all under Shane Ellis.

The day's third co-feature, the $1 million McKay Security and Consultants Limited trophy race over 1820 metres, went to the youngest horse in the line-up of $180,000 claimers, four-year-old SHARRUKIN, with Dane Nelson aboard for trainer Paul Charlton.

Running at odds of 5-2, SHARRUKIN stalked 3-5 favourite QUIET KNIGHT from three furlongs out and skipped away for a nine-length win off the home turn.

CAPTION: JR's DREAM (8), with Doushane Gordon up, taking the New Year's Day Trophy by a neck from ESQUIRE (partially hidden) at Caymanas Park yesterday. The winner completed a hat-trick of wins on the 11-race holiday programme for the apprentice. His other winners were MEDICAL REPORT and PRINCE THEO. All three horses are trained by Dwight Chen - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer