Flybuejet, Funcaandun make mockery of opposition

ONEIL MULLINGS yesterday made good a chance ride aboard American FLYBLUEJET, making every yard of the running with the four-year-old filly to outclass a field of mainly local-breds at five and a half furlongs for 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny.

Running as an imported four-year-old maiden among local-bred non-winners of two races, FLYBUEJET scored a convincing victory to reverse her form, clocking 1:08.0, after disappointing as a 3-2 favourite when placing third in a similar event at five furlongs straight a week prior.

KISSMET, who had finished as a runner-up to SPEEDIE HARE last Saturday, beating FLYBLUEJET into third place, was on the receiving end, 12 and a quarter lengths behind the American, who won five and a half clear of UNCLE NUB.

Mullings replaced champion jockey Reyan Lewis, who failed to honour his only mount on the nine-race card, staying put on one winner, from two rides, after four meets of the new season.

Meanwhile, Tevin Foster, runner-up to Lewis in the 2023 jockeys’ title race, moved his season’s tally to seven winners, booting home Steven Todd’s three-year-old maiden, LADY LAUREN, in the fillies-only seventh race at six furlongs.

LADY LAUREN chased APLOMB to the home turn, sneaking past her along the rail to run out an impressive six-length winner at odds of 5-2. Champion trainer Jason DaCosta’s 4-5 favourite, ROSETTA, struggled to close from off the pace, eventually securing second inside the last half-furlong.

DaCosta, renowned for his battery of speedy Americans, debuted another quick foreigner in the Rimsky Trophy, three-year-old colt, FUNCAANDUN, who made a mockery of local-bred non-winners of two races with Shamaree Muir astride, zipping six furlongs in 1:12.2, a time reserved for horses at the top levels.

Claiming rider Jordan Barrett was guilty of committing the all-too-popular practice of drifting his mount in the stretch run when being challenged, resulting in 1-5 favourite MY SMOKEY’S disqualification as a winner in the sixth event for $250,000 claimers, after impeding subsequently promoted runner-up JAMALJAMES inside the final half-furlong.

Racing continues this afternoon with another nine-race card, the first of consecutive Saturday-Sunday meets to close January.