Out-of-class Laban easily wins Ahwhofah Trophy

ABIGAIL ABLE gave LABAN’s backers quite a scare at the start of yesterday’s Ahwhofah Trophy. Almost unseated at the start aboard the even-money favourite, she recovered to slice through the nine-horse field from eighth position to slip down third leaving the half-mile marker.

With short-running DEEP BLUE SEA being chased by groping-for-form PRINCE CHARLES, Able attacked the leaders three-wide off the home turn and quickly hit the front a furlong and a half out to underline the fact that LABAN belonged nowhere near an overnight allowance race after easily beating the level in August.

The female claiming rider easily won her sixth race of the season, LABAN needing a reminder or two close home that he wasn’t out for an exercise gallop, clocking 1:13.3, as he left LEGALITY to claim second ahead of late-closing SUPREME SOUL, who headed off PRINCE CHARLES at the wire for third.

Ridiculous conditions that allow horses at the top two levels, graded stakes and open allowance, to drop class, after going winless for six and four months respectively, regardless of how well they perform in the higher grade against superior opposition, continue to gift races to runners such as LABAN and GOD OF LOVE, who similarly won on November 28.

Veteran riders Oneil Mullings and six-time champion Omar Walker continued their resurgence in form by logging two winners apiece on the 10-race card.

Mullings booted home consecutive two-timers after Saturday’s double aboard CASUAL AFFAIR and TURNONTHELIGHT. The livewire lightweight rider moved his December tally to five winners in three meets by landing the second event astride Philip Feanny’s JAGUAR and returned to score in the sixth with Ryan Darby’s CUP CAKE.

Walker, who has been making the most of his partnership with Ian Parsard in injured Dane Dawkins’ absence, landed the eighth astride Victor Williams’ SHE’S SO FABULOUS and returned with a confident ride to close the 10-race card with Parsard’s imported CRAFTY AND READY at five furlongs round.

Racing continues at the weekend with another dual Saturday-Sunday meet.