Big Jule romps URTA feature by 10 lengths

BIG JULE returned from an 11-week lay-up to reproduce his Jamaica Derby form with a smashing 10-length win in yesterday’s United Racehorse Trainers Association of Jamaica feature race at nine furlongs and 25 yards.

BIG JULE, who had finished down the track as the 3-5 favourite behind SANTORINI on September 4, a month after his derby fourth-place run, left his old rival and the rest of the field for dead with a crippling move past IANNAI LINKS three furlongs out.

The expected rematch between Jason DaCosta’s UNRULY BOSS and Anthony Nunes’ SANTORINI was sent crashing with Omar Walker pushing imported-in-utero BIG JULE clear of the field for a near 11-length lead.

Considered a hot Jamaica Derby prospect after a near 19-length win at nine furlongs and 25 yards on his third start in June, BIG JULE missed July’s St Leger and was rushed into August’s derby without a prep race amid sparse exercise activity.

Having notched his third victory in the non-winner-of-four-races feature, BIG JULE had technically skipped a class and is eligible to return to the level for his next outing before facing overnight allowance company.

Nunes’ BERN NOTICE and SANTORINI kept their distance, literally, from Ian Parsard’s BIG JULE, who romped home clear in 1:55.1.

However, the two-time defending champion trainer returned to close the 10-race card at seven furlongs with United States-bred SPARKLE DIAMOND, winning on his fourth try with the much-thought-of foreigner privately acquired from Errol Waugh’s barn earlier this season.

A winner of four of his first three starts under Waugh in the summer of 2019, problem-plagued SPARKLE DIAMOND went off on a six-month lay-up, returning February 2020, after which he disappeared for another six months, recording a victory in December before changing hands.

RETURN TO FORM

Racing off a four-month lay-up under Nunes on October 25, SPARKLE DIAMOND chased home course-specialist CAPTUREMYSHIP at five furlongs straight, losing by a head in a fast 57.4, signalling his return to form.

Renowned for being slowly into stride, SPARKLE DIAMOND, the 2-1 favourite, broke sharply with Shane Ellis to make every post a winning one, beating DaCosta’s I AM FRED by five and a half lengths in a smart 1:25.2.

I AM FRED, terribly drawn at post-position one with stubborn oldstager SUPERLUMINAL to his inside, encountered New York traffic along the rail and was twice shuffled back before seeing daylight coming off the home turn, by which time SPARKLE DIAMOND had flown the coop.

Nunes’ victory with SPARKLE DIAMOND extended his lead atop the trainers’ stakes race to approximately $1.5 million ahead of DaCosta, who he had overhauled the previous Saturday with FURTHER AND BEYOND’s thrilling win over his rival’s BILLY WHIZZ in the $6m Jamaica Cup.

Racing continues this afternoon with a nine-race card.