Priceless Beauty tops Fontainbleu

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

In a blanket finish, the consistent Canadian mare PRICELESS BEAUTY got up in the nick of time to win the open-allowance feature for the Fontainbleu Trophy over 1500 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Installed a 3-2 favourite with Paul 'Country' Francis riding for trainer Morris Powell and owners the Houston Stables, PRICELESS BEAUTY closed as a team with the 9-5 second favourite RAISE A RUCKUS on the outside to lead well inside the last furlong.

She won by half a length from the Dick Cardenas-ridden RAISE A RUCKUS who in turn had a head to spare over highly fancied BURST OF ENERGY (5-2), who prompted the pace set by fellow 5-2 chance CLASSY PROSPECT, who finished ¹/⁴ lengths.

CLASSY PROSPECT, who beat both PRICELESS BEAUTY and BURST OF ENERGY into second and third, respectively, in the valuable King's Plate over the distance some weeks ago, failed in his bid to maintain his superiority with 4.0kg claiming apprentice Osive Donegal again in the saddle.

Although trying to make all once again, CLASSY PROSPECT was not allowed to settle as BURST OF ENERGY mounted his challenge on the outside leaving the half-mile and eventually gained the ascendancy midway the last furlong. By then, PRICELESS BEAUTY and RAISE A RUCKUS began to motor and in a thrilling finish, it was PRICELESS BEAUTY who prevailed.

Significantly, both the winner and runner-up sported the light blue silks of the Houston Stables but are conditioned by different trainers.

Having won three consecutive races at the backend of last season, 5-y-o PRICELESS BEAUTY has now four times from eight career starts, but trainer Powell felt she was the horse to beat at the weights.

"She came down to 50.0kg in the weights and based on her last run when finishing a close second to Classy Prospect in the King's Plate, was pretty confident she would turn the tables," he said.

On what turned out to be a tough day for form players, the lightly raced but highly thought of 3-y-o colt HERMOSO AMIGO was the only other favourite to score on the card.

Previously unbeaten

Trained by Noel Ennevor, HERMOSO AMIGO, who is a half brother to the 2009 Superstakes winner HOMBRE, romped home by all of 7¹/² lengths from the previously unbeaten MAAS LAURIE in the restricted allowance II over 1820 metres for three-year-olds (non-winners of two).

After cruising into the straight with jockey Doushane Gordon sitting motionless, the son of Saint Appeal - Muchacha Favourita only had to be pushed out for an emphatic win. Having missed the 2000 Guineas due to insufficient earnings, Ennevor said HERMOSO AMIGO will next contest the Governor's Cup (Lotto Classic) in mid-May, then it's on to the Derby.

In-form claiming apprentice Richard Mairs emerged the day's most successful rider with two winners in 14-1 outsider SHEER BLISS and 3-1 chance ATRAILOFTEARS in the sixth and eighth races, respectively.