Steadman gets the best out of Royal Assault

ROYAL ASSAULT, the even-money favourite with apprentice Linton Steadman riding for trainer Anthony "Baba" Nunes, ran on strongly in the last 100 metres to win the overnight allowance sprint in decisive fashion at Caymanas Park on Wednesday.

The four-year-old chestnut colt by Blue Pepsi Lodge out of Maken Joy raced prominently in third as the fleet-footed TALENTED TONY K (7-2), with top apprentice Bebeto Harvey, led comfortably into the straight ahead of highly fancied DREAMLINER (6-5) in a field of eight.

Although looking likely to hold on after leaving the furlong pole two lengths clear, TALENTED TONY K was worn down by ROYAL ASSAULT, who responded to a bustling ride to hit the front in the last 50 metres, winning by 11/4 lengths from TALENTED TONY K and the late-closing ROYAL VIBES (32-1), this in the smart time of 1:05.0.

Owned by Preferred Racing and bred by Mark Croskery, ROYAL ASSAULT was notching only his third win from eight starts this season, but by and large, has been a model of consistency, having finished in the first three seven times.

BETTER LUCK

Harvey, who was second aboard TALENTED TONY K, had better luck aboard another evens favourite, JESSIE JAMES, in the third race over a mile for the Alty McKenzie Memorial Cup for $350,000 - $300,000 claiming horses.

Outpaced for most of the way as NO MONEY FRIEND (10-1) enjoyed a good lead into the straight ahead of the highly fancied pair of COMPUTERIZE and BIGBROWNGREYHOPE, JESSIE JAMES stormed through in the last furlong to beat NO MONEY FRIEND by three lengths in an eight-horse field.

The winner, an eight-year-old bay gelding by Storm Craft out of Jessica, is owned by Nadon and trained by Ryan Darby.

Harvey, Steadman, and fellow apprentice Javaniel Patterson rode two winners each, while Nunes saddled two winners in the two-year-old debutante BILINGUAL and ROYAL ASSAULT.