MAHOGANY ready to exact revenge on WOW WOW

Groom Frank Spencer is confident MAHOGANY can outdo race favourite WOW WOW to win this year’s Jamaica St Leger at Caymanas Park on Saturday.

The St Leger, which is the second leg of the Triple Crown, will be contested over 10 furlongs. The 12-horse field, which comprises eight colts and geldings, and four fillies, will feature the best three-year-old horses in the country.

MAHOGANY, trained by Ian Parsard and ridden by Dane Dawkins, was chased down and beaten by WOW WOW by three lengths in the 2000 Guineas over eight furlongs in their last meeting on July 26.

However, Dawkins has been replaced by former champion jockey Omar Walker for Saturday.

Spencer said that MAHOGANY has prepared well for the contest, and with a change in jockey, it is going to be very difficult for anyone to beat his horse.

“I know that I have a shot, so they will have to come because I am coming to run,” he said.

“I am confident in my horse because in the Guineas, when my horse finished second, the rider who rode my horse rode him in an aggressive way. But this time I have a champion jockey on him, and the champion knows exactly what he has to do.”

In his last race on August 16, MAHOGANY beat SUMMER SUN and SENTIENT by 10 and a half lengths over eight and a half furlongs.

“They said that WOW WOW is the biggest horse in Jamaica, so it is left to be seen how big he is on Saturday because I am coming to give him a run,” Spencer said.

“I know that I will be a horse in front because my horse is well prepared and ready to run on Saturday.”

Spencer, who has been a groom for over 30 years, has never won a Classic race in his career. In 2017, his horse HENRY THE SECOND won the Lotto Classic Governor’s Cup, but was later penalised and placed second behind MARKET FORCE.

“I was very disappointed,” Spencer said. “But I don’t see which way I am going to lose this one because they will have to come as I will be going straight to the finish line.”