Trend Setter upsets in Caymanas feature

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

The grey filly TREND SETTER, a chance ride for jockey Peter Bryan, scored a 12-1 upset in the seventh running of the Howard Phillipps Memorial Trophy over 1100 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Owned and bred by former West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh, TREND SETTER won by two lengths from 8-5 second favourite INDY QUEEN who had 1 3/4 lengths to spare over the howling 3-5 favourite TRIAL LAWYER under champion jockey Omar Walker in a field of nine.

Bryan secured the ride after the declared rider Dane Nelson sustained slight injury when the favourite STEEL DE CAT toppled over in the gate, prior to the start of the fourth race over the straight and was declared a late non-starter. Happy for the ride, Bryan rode a patient race from just off the early pace in third as TRIAL LAWYER and INDY QUEEN carried the field into the straight. TREND SETTER made a ground-saving run on the inside and disposed of the leaders, a furlong out, to win decisively.

The win enabled trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes to complete a double on the 10-race programme, having saddled his lightly raced three-year-old colt, SARAGOSSA (2-1) to win the third race over the straight five course.

Nunes, who turned 44 last Tuesday, said Bryan rode TREND SETTER to his instructions and he was happy for the win.

"The horse ran a decent race behind JR's DREAM in the New Year's Day Trophy recently and was actually up against weaker opposition today.

"Courtney (Walsh) is away in Antigua for the Caribbean Twenty20 championship, but he will be happy with the news, especially that the win was achieved in a trophy race," he said.

Runaway victory

Later in the afternoon, the 2009 Superstakes winner HOMBRE (3-4 favourite), with customary rider Andre Martin aboard, picked up where he left off last season with a runaway victory under topweight of 57.0kg in the open allowance race over 1820 metres.

Fresh from his good win over a mile on December 15, the classy six-year-old gelding chased tearaway leader BURNING CIELO from soon after the start. Moving like a jet approaching the half mile, he shot past BURNING CIELO and turned it into a procession, winning by seven lengths from the progressive American 4-y-o colt BURST OF ENERGY, who failed in his bid for the hat-trick in a field of eight.

This was HOMBRE's 10th win from 26 career starts and he duly pushed his lifetime earnings past the $9 million mark. The six-year-old bay gelding by Pat N Jac out of Muchacha Favorita is trained by Noel Ennevor for owner/breeder Wessel Burnett.

Prior to his mishap, Nelson booted home 4-1 chance MAHARANI in the first race, but two of his other declared rides, SARAGOSSA and TREND SETTER, also won with substitute riders.