Subratie opens with Fan Appreciation Day Trophy
Published:Saturday | January 2, 2021 | 12:15 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
TRAINER Gary Subratie started the new year exactly as he did last season, using 3-1 chance CRIMSON to land the annual Fan Appreciation Day Trophy.
CRIMSON clocked 1:55.2 at nine furlongs and 25 yards, to win by three and a quarter lengths ahead of 14-1 outsider, COCO CHANEL.
The repeat victory closed a two-timer for Subratie on the nine-race card after even-money favourite, SURE CURLIN, won the previous event in a driving finish from UNWRITTEN LAW at four furlongs straight, beating three-year-old maiden fillies.
One of the most touted horses at the park on New Year’s Day, with word making the rounds that a hoof issue had been rectified, CRIMSON franked the railbirds’ talk by turning around his form with an easy victory, running past SEBASTIAN and WILSON a furlong and a half out.
Anthony Nunes’ pair, even-money favourite, BIG BANG, and 7-2 chance, TRICKY ONE, were outsped and never got going as WILSON and SEBASTIAN disputed the lead from the start.
RARE DISQUALIFICATION
CRIMSON was also outsped but made rapid headway coming off the turn before boring through along the rail past WILSON and SEBASTIAN.
After hitting the front, CRIMSON powered away from COCO CHANEL, who was always prominent down the backstretch and had loomed large on the outside after turning for home fourth.
Trainer Leroy Tomlinson also landed a two-timer on New Year’s Day, which was marked by a rare disqualification for incorrect weight.
Tomlinson opened the programme with back-to-back winners, 3-2 chance PORTION and even-money favourite, MISS HAZEL.
Veteran trainer Tensang Chung’s GORGEOUS GIFT passed the post in front in the fifth event but had his number taken down, disqualified out of the event, after apprentice Jordan Barrett weighed in a kilogram short of the 48.0 he had weighed out with before the event.
Racing continues today with another nine-race card set to get underway at 12:10 p.m.