BY RUDDY ALLEN Observer racing writer
Saturday, December 27, 2014
The back-to-back Governor General’s Stakes winner Perfect Neighbour produced another sensational performance, this time romping the 52nd running of $1.25-million Harry Jackson Memorial Cup at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Installed as the second favourite at odds of 8-5, Perfect Neighbour with Shamaree Muir riding for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta and with a mere 52.5 kilogrammes in his back, took the Grade One event for three-year-olds and upward going over 2,400 metres by an ever-increasing four lengths in a smart time of 2:32:4 minutes, behind splits 24:2, and 48:1 seconds, 1:14:3, 1:38:3 and 2:06:4 minutes.
Passing the stands for the first time, Commanding Chief (Dane Nelson astride) led the field of six runners at a merry clip and continued to dictate the pace while being tracked by Military Move (Paul Francis aboard), Amicable (Kerry-Gayle Robinson up) and Perfect Neighbour.
Muir went in serious chase passing the 1,200-metre marker to be on the shoulders of the long-time leader Commanding Chief with the Superstakes hero and 2-5 favourite Typewriter, the mount of Shane Ellis, into third position and looking like a threat on the outside of a fading Military Move.
Perfect Neighbour then drew away from Commanding Chief with one half mile to go and from there on the dark bay colt was never caught.
Commanding Chief was second and Timeforarms (Laris Allen up) third ahead of Military Move in fourth.
“This is the best performance produced by Perfect Nieghbour in his career. He got a clean break today (yesterday) as he was up in the pace early and when Shamaree (Muir) asked him to run he just crippled his opponents easily,” DaCosta told the Jamaica Observer.
Perfect Neighbour, the offspring of Natural Selection – desperatehousewife is owned by Alfred Lee and Jeffery Mordecai and is bred by YS (1955) Limited, and was winning his fifth race from nine starts this season.
Apprentice Muir said he was happy with the win.
“I got a clean break today, but I just kept him relaxed and just asked him to run the last four furlongs of the race and he just destroyed the field. He was light with 52.5 kilogrammes, which I thought helped us as well, and I am happy to win.”
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Perfect Neighbour romps Harry Jackson Memorial
