Positive ID outstays rivals in Sunday’s feature

POSITIVE ID easily outstayed seven rivals in yesterday’s overnight allowance at nine and a half furlongs, improving from last at the clubhouse turn to fourth down the backstretch before making a sweeping move entering the straight to go by POWER, BILLY WHIZZ, and PRESS CONFERENCE.

Pulling clear in the stretch run under five-time champion jockey Trevor Simpson, 4-5 favourite POSITIVE ID stayed on strongly to beat 36-1 longshot PRESS CONFERENCE, winning by four lengths in 2:05.1.

POSITIVE ID’s recent form on the route course, chasing home imported LURE OF LUCY at nine furlongs and 25 yards on January 2, made the Bern Identity-Bubble Gal Bubble five-year-old horse tough to beat with Simpson, who won his third race in two meets on his winter break from the Canadian circuit.

Claiming rider Shavon Townsend won back-to-back races on the nine-race card, landing the second and third events in gate-to-wire fashion. The seven-pound claimer first made all with 6-1 chance GENEALOGY, running favourites ANOTHER CHAMPION and STICKYDON off their legs at a mile.

Townsend returned in the third to pilot even-money RIDGE LINER to a five-and-a-half length win at five furlongs straight, beating three-year-old maidens in 1:02.0.

A trio of trainers saddled two winners apiece. Patrick Lynch notched a quick double with LEGAL BOMB and CURLIN’S FLIGHT, who awoke from their slumbers as 7-2 and 3-1 market-springers in the fourth and fifth races, respectively.

Dale Murphy, who struck earlier with RIDGE LINER, returned to the winners’ enclosure after the sixth to greet 6-5 favourite CHITU PRINCE , his second winner over the five-straight course.

Murray closed the card with 3-2 chance KP CHOICE after earlier saddling upsetter GENEALOGY. KP CHOICE outsprinted TALONA in the nightpan, repelling the United States-bred filly in a heated battle over the straight course.