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Janiboutice via the stewards' room

Published:Saturday | May 30, 2015 | 12:00 AMOrville Clarke
Jermaine Barnaby
Jockey Robert Halledeen (left forefront), aboard RIO COBRE, battle with Paul Francis’ mount, JANIBOUTICE (right), in the overnight allowance race at Caymanas Park yesterday. RIO COBRE, who won by a neck, was subsequently disqualified and placed second, and first place awarded to JANIBOUTICE, with whom he had interfered. PRINCE ANDREW (Winston Griffiths) finished third, and OFFICIAL REPORT, with Oniel Mullings, finished fourth.

The stewards struck in the ninth race over the round-five course at Caymanas Park yesterday, disqualifying the 4-5 favourite RIO COBRE and awarding the race to 3-1 chance JANIBOUTICE with whom he had interfered approaching the home turn.

In a hotly contested overnight allowance race, RIO COBRE on the outside disputed the lead with the 30-1 outsider RUNJOHNNY RUN on the rails and JANIBOUTICE in the middle leaving the half mile in a field of eight. However, the Richard Azan-trained JANIBOUTICE was squeezed for space approaching the home turn, forcing jockey Paul 'Country' Francis to snatch up his mount at this stage.

This left RIO COBRE, ridden by in-form Robert Halledeen, and RUNJOHNNY RUN to continue their prolonged duel approaching the distance. But no sooner had RIO COBRE disposed of him, along came JANIBOUTICE with a strong rally on the rails in the last 100 metres, which just failed.

 

BIG PICK-9 CARRY OVER

 

Following a lengthy stewards' inquiry and jockey's objection, the positions of the first two were reversed. PRINCE ANDREW (5-1), with Hall of Fame jockey Winston Griffiths aboard, finished fast into third place, another neck away.

On a day when Francis rode three winners, the Pick-9 survived yet another raceday, and the carryover to Wednesday's meet stands at a whopping $14.7 million.

Thanks to upsets by the Gordon Lewis-trained SILENT STORM at 24-1 in the nightpan, FIRE ALARM at 7-1 and MERLIN at 6-1, no one was able to spot all nine or eight of nine winners. Pick-9 sales for the day surpassed the $7-million mark.