DaCosta completes Guineas Trial double

CHAMPION trainer Jason DaCosta yesterday completed the Guineas Trial double with Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes winner, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD, who recovered from a poor start to land the Prince Consort Stakes for colts and geldings at seven furlongs.

DaCosta, hunting a third consecutive title, swept Saturday’s fillies-only Thornbird Stakes, saddling the first two past the post, BANADURA and COMEHOMETOME, sending a clear message to his challengers ahead of this season’s three-year-old classics.

Leading rider Tevin Foster made INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD his fourth of five winners under a confident ride after being bumped at the start, interference, which caused his mount to race next-to-last until making a sweeping move at the half-mile marker.

Mending with every stride while stablemate TEFLON DON took the nine-horse field through splits of 24.0 and 47.4 for the first half-mile, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD straightened fourth, taking dead aim at Sir Howard Stakes runner-up, J SPIETH, who had cruised to the lead coming off the turn under champion rider Reyan Lewis.

Leaping off the turn, INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD reeled in J SPIETH a half-furlong out before pulling off to beat a closing CROWN CHASER by three lengths in 1:28.3.

Foster’s five-timer

Foster returned to close his five-timer astride 3-1 chance TAURUS BOY, who outfinished KP CHOICE at five furlongs straight in the closing event on Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association of Jamaica Weekend.

Starting the afternoon 11 winners clear of rival Raddesh Roman, Foster’s five-timer, his earlier winners being DANCING AVIATOR, COTTERWOOD KATHY and COMMANDER Z put him 16 clear in their battle atop the riders’ standings.

DaCosta, the son of late 18-time champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, saddled three winners on the 10-race card – DANCING AVIATOR, HIT N RUN, and INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD – extending his lead atop the trainers’ standings.

Racing continues this Saturday with the classic season on countdown to the 1000 and 2000 Guineas.