BY RUDDY ALLEN OBSERVER RACING WRITER
Friday, January 02, 2015
A clear statement of intent was made yesterday, the first raceday for 2015, by trainer Anthony Nunes to 14-time champion Wayne DaCosta. The statement ,which came after Nunes saddled three winners following the first five races of the 10 on offer, was that Nunes really means business this year. His winners were Royal Assault, the first horse to win a race in 2015, Lord Storm and Locked and Loaded.
“A really good to start the season. I am very happy for the three winners, but it is the start; there is still a very, very long way to go,” Nunes told the Complete Racing Guide.
A rejuvenated Royal Vibes under a never-say-die ride by Shamaree Muir took the feature event, the Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) Fan Appreciation Day Trophy. Royal Vibes (Royal Minister – November Lace), who was sent off as the joint 3-2 second favourite, broke well but was surprisingly held off the pace set by Hologram Shadow (Andre Martin) and stable-companion All Correct (Shane Ellis) for most of the way.
Turning for home in third position, Royal Vibes responded well to the urgings of Muir as the five-year-old bay gelding got up in the nick of time to nip All Correct on the wire, winning by a head in the Overnight Allowance event for three-year-olds and upwards going over 1,820 metres.
Twenty-one-to-one long shot Sir Frederick (Kuri Powell aboard) came in third position. The winning time was 1:56:1 minutes.
“This is an overwhelming victory for me today (yesterday) as I outdid one of best jockeys at the Park in Shane Ellis. I knew that I was going to win the race from the half, but it turned out to be a hard-fought victory. But I am happy with it as a win is win,” Muir told the Jamaica Observer.
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Nunes makes strong statement of intent
