BY RUDDY ALLEN Observer Racing Writer
Sunday, October 12, 2014
In what can be described as a command performance, Perfect Neighbour prevailed for the first time over Commanding Chief this season, albeit by one-and-a-half lengths in the 55th running of the
$1.15-million Governor General’s Stakes (10 furlongs) in fine fashion at Caymanas Park yesterday.
After falling victim to his rival twice this season, Perfect Neighbour with a mere 52.0 kg benefited from the absence of Commanding Chief’s customary rider Dane Nelson to turn the tables on the six-year-old gelding, who toted top weight of 57.0 kg to register back-to-back wins in this Grade One event for three-year-olds and upward.
Nelson fell ill with the symptoms of the chikungunya virus and had to leave the track following the third race.
Shamaree Muir allowed the Natural Selection – Desperatehousewife by Ghost Ransom colt to settle comfortably into fourth position behind leaders Exotic Gold , Commanding Chief and Uncle Taf passing the stands for the first time.
As the six runners sorted themselves out, Commanding Chief then picked up the lead from Exotic Gold with Perfect Neighbour still labouring in fourth position at the six-furlong pole. When Muir asked Perfect Neighbour to move passing the half-mile, the roar from the large crowd in attendance at the Park went with him.
Perfect Neighbour made what turned out to be a decisive move to hit the front full of running just ahead of Commanding Chief, after turning for home and from then on he was never caught. The front-running Exotic Gold was third ahead of Timeforarms.
Owned by Alfred Lee and Jeffrey Mordecai and bred by YS (1955) LTD, Perfect Neighbour covered the distance in 2:07:4 minutes.
“I am so happy with this win. I lost on him (Perfect Neighbour) to Commanding Chief the last time and today it was quite a different story as I was more confident and mentally ready. Basically, my horse was the better horse today,” Muir told the Sunday Observer.
The win by Perfect Neighbour was the third on the day for DaCosta. His other winners were Also Correct and Polly B, both ridden by Dick Cardenas, who extended his lead to four winners over Nelson in the race for the jockeys’ championship.
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Perfect Neighbour is the Governor
