Milestones meet well received

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The commemorative Records and Milestones race meet at Caymanas Park yesterday was well received by an appreciative holiday crowd.

Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) in association with Durex Condoms, the sponsor of the meet, went the extra mile to recount the achievements of jockeys, trainers and grooms, among others, who have made a lasting impression in the over 50 years of racing at Caymanas Park.

The day's feature, the Durex Labour Day Trophy (high claiming) over 1200 metres, provided an easy victory for 8-5 favourite ROMEZ, who duly won the race for the second consecutive year.

ROMEZ, who ran on strongly a furlong out to nab the leaders FIRST TIME LUCKY and KRYPTOGRAM, was saddled on this occasion by in-form trainer Welsh Soutar for popular owner Sweety Man.

Immediately after the race, the Labour Day Trophy, which was run in honour of four veterans - Hall of Fame trainer Sydney Watson, who at age 80 is the oldest trainer still active; Hall of Fame groom Vincent Blackwood, who at age 83 is still grooming horses at the Wesley Perkins stables; David 'Scorcher' McKenzie, who at age 61 is the oldest jockey to ride a winner at Caymanas Park; as well Barrington Smith, who won the very first race at Caymanas Park aboard ROMAN ROAD on August 22, 1959 - were presented to the winning connections.

Ushered to the park in style, all four emerged from a black limousine inside the winners' enclosure and were not only greeted by CTL's acting CEO, Camile Buchanan, but a guard of honour by jockeys was held to mark the occasion.

landmark win

Smith, who is wheelchair mobile, was presented with a plaque by Buchanan for his landmark win aboard ROMAN ROAD, while the others received lifetime passes to Caymanas Park.

On a day when State Minister for Finance, Senator Arthur Williams, who was present at the track, confirmed the resignations of three CTL directors (Ian Parsard, Howard McKenzie and chairman Tony Hart) last Thursday, the 11-race programme saw leading jockey Shane Ellis booting home two winners in SAPPHIRE and PRINCE RIDELL to push his season's tallly to 36.

The Peter John Scully-trained BRASH AND SASSY (10-1, Richard Mairs up) won the Charles Hussey OD Trophy straight five race in a driving finish from DANCE SO SWEET and howling 1-4 favourite, SIR VON, respectively. Her time of 56.4 was only three-fifths of a second outside the track record.