Easy victory for Blast Them Away

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

The unbeaten American colt BLAST THEM AWAY stamped himself as one of the best two-year-olds seen out so far this season, with an emphatic victory over fellow American NOON IT IS in the Dye Job Sprint over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Installed a 3-5 favourite with Dane Nelson riding for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta and owner Robert K. Thomas, BLAST THEM AWAY (chased) disposed of long-time leader NOON IT IS under champion jockey Omar Walker leaving the furlong pole to win by 4¹/² lengths, covering the distance in the smart time of 1.12.4 for his third win from as many starts.

Third-past-the-post RICHIEHAPPYNOTION (6-1) was disqualified following a stewards' inquiry, this for bumping into DO MY DUTY on leaving the starting gate, and third awarded to his lesser-fancied stable companion I'VE BEEN CHOSEN (22-1).

DaCosta, who is under some pressure from arch-rival Anthony 'Baba' Nunes to win the trainers' championship for a seventh consecutive year, was pleased with the performance of BLAST THEM AWAY.

"He worked very well coming into the race and, despite the claims of Noon It Is, I was confident of winning based on his split times (23.1, 46.0, 1:12.1) when making all in his previous race over 1300 metres (1:19.4)," said DaCosta, who was mindful of Nunes' challenge but is not unduly worried.

Highly fancied horses

Still, DaCosta was expected to visit the winners' enclosure a number of times with highly fancied horses like TANTALOO, GHOST RAPPER and JET SETTER on the nine-race card. But only BLAST THEM AWAY was good enough to win.

TANTALOO, the mount of female apprentice Georgina Sergeon, tried to make all in the day's secondary feature for the Andrew H.B. Aguilar Memorial Cup over 1600 metres, but could only manage third in a field of nine maiden two-year-olds. TANTALOO (8-5) was blown away in the straight by the highly fancied UNCLE DONNY (5-2), who marked an important milestone with this victory - the 100th win of the season for leading jockey Dick Cardenas, a first for the Panamanian since he first rode here in 2008.

UNCLE DONNY, a grey colt by Dayton Flyer out of Pretty Hilly, is trained by Nunes for the Oakridge Farms and bred by Don Wehby.

Cardenas rode one winner to lead closest rival, out-of-form Shane Ellis, by 10 in the championship race which, from all indications, is all over bar the shouting. Ellis, significantly, was winless for the fourth consecutive race day.