Lady brushes aside Kabul -

Wednesday 14, April-2004

by Tyrone Evelyn

IT HAD TO happen sometime. And although it was not at the hooves of my selection Super Style, Kabul's winning streak came to an end on Easter Monday as Lady Constance ran away with the Banks Barbados Guineas, the first leg of the prestigious Triple Crown.

Kabul’s eventual eclipse came as no surprise, as his last three starts over 1 570 metres, the Guineas distance, indicated he was becoming vulnerable and his contemporaries were at last catching up with him.

I expected Super Style, beaten only by a head by Kabul in the Hopeful Stakes, to be the first horse to inflict a defeat on Kabul, but that was made impossible when her jockey, Andy Ward, put up seven pounds overweight.

Kabul came out of stall 11 and jockey Paul Leacock hustled him across the field to the inside rail, but he was not allowed to settle in front on this occasion as Lady Constance and Super Jebs went with him from early.

Lady Constance led the field down the backstretch while Kabul was chasing on the rail, apparently with no where to go.

Leacock extricated Kabul by the three furlongs marker and as the favourite went into the lead shortly after, a roar from the Grand Stand went up because it was expected he would have strolled away from his field.

But this was not the case. The acceleration he had shown in his previous starts deserted him as Lady Constance picked up the running again shortly after the final bend for home and ran on strongly for a comfortable win.

Kabul could only keep on at one pace down the homestretch and he was passed close home by Captain P.J., who finished second while Kabul had to settle for third position.

The day’s other feature race, The Banks Draught Trophy for the A1 to C3 horses going 1 570 metres, went as expected, to favourite Feet On Flames, ridden by apprentice Keveh Nicholls.

Creole Sugar Daddy went into an early lead but he was soon joined by Feet On Flames and this pair took them down the backstretch.

Midnight Thomas started to make progress approaching the four-furlong marker as Feet On Flames kicked on by the three furlongs pole, at which point Sugar Daddy started to back pedal.

Feet On Flames brought the field into the homestretch and ran on strongly to win from a fast-finishing Storm Hunter, with Lion Country taking third position.

Anderson Trotman was the day’s leading jockey, as he booted home three winners.

His wins were on Crystalite for champion trainer Bill Marshall, and Cordelia and Lady Constance for Andrew Nunes’ stable.

Marshall was the leading trainer with three wins against his name. These were Purfect Prince, ridden by Juan Crawford in the opening race; Crystalite and Brandon Prince, with Richard Lunan up, in the day’s final race.

Clayton Greenidge and Nunes both saddled two winners. Greenidge’s wins came via Go For Gold, with Pat Husbands in the saddle, and Feet On Flames, ridden by Keveh Nicholls; while Nunes’ came through Cordelia and Lady Constance.

The next race day is May 1.

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