Perfect Neighbour romps Harry Jackson Memorial

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

Savannah, Sandals put perfect win records on line today

BY PAUL A REID Observer writer

Sunday, January 04, 2015    

FROME, Westmoreland — Something will have to give today at the Frome Sports Complex when Savannah SC and Sandals Whitehouse put their perfect win records up against each other in the Jamaica Football Federation Charley’s JB Rum Western Confederation Super League, starting at 3:00 pm.

Former champions Savannah SC lead with 15 points from five straight wins after edging another Westmoreland club Beaches Negril 1-0 in their rescheduled game on Tuesday.

Sandals Whitehouse are three points back on 12 and are coming off a 2-1

win over Violet Kickers in Montego Bay also on Tuesday, winning all four games played so far.

Three more games are on the schedule today, Village United hosting Wadadah FC at Elleston Wakeland Youth Centre, Salt Marsh United and Beaches Negril meeting at Long Bay Beach Park, while Jericho Rangers and Violet Kickers will meet at Watson Taylor Park in Lucea.

The Frome game will take on the atmosphere of a parish championship with both teams boasting perfect records, which could see a turnout well into the thousands.

Savannah SC managed to avoid conceding a goal on Tuesday and, despite their great start, have conceded seven goals in five games, the third highest of any team in the competition.

Sandals Whitehouse’s defence has been all but airtight, having allowed just two goals and could have the edge for this encounter today if they can hold the league’s top scorer Ron Daley at bay.

Daley scored his fifth goal of the season to help Savannah SC beat winless Beaches Negril, and he combines with Michael Kerr and Leaton Galloway for the best trio, totalling 12 goals among them so far.

Damion Wynter will lead the Sandals Whitehouse attack, along with Dervin Campbell and Dane Spence.

Salt Marsh United will be full of confidence after their big 5-1 win over Wadadah FC on Tuesday when they travel to face Beaches, who are still winless.

Omar Williams got a hat-trick for the Trelawny team and will seek to get more goals against Beaches, who have managed to score just three while conceding nine so far.

Wadadah FC will try to salvage their ego after a thrashing by the promoted team, but face a Village United team that has not lost at Elleston Wakeland all season.

The game between Jericho Rangers and Violet Kickers looks to be well balanced with the scales tipping in favour of the home team.

Jericho Rangers are on four points, one more than the former two-time Premier League champions, who have lost their last two games.

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Savannah, Sandals put perfect win records on line today

Perfect Neighbour is the Governor

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

St Lucia’s Anse Chastenet Resort offers the perfect “Wedding Getaway”

SOUFRIERE, St. Lucia, Monday September 15, 2014 - Anse Chastanet Resort in St. Lucia is offering a deal on romance with a new “Wedding Getaway” special which reduces room rates by 15 percent for the entire wedding party.

Released ahead of the upcoming “Love Elevated Wedding Symposium,” to be held on the island from September 24 to 28, the resort is also offering the bride and groom a complimentary room upgrade provided their wedding party comprises a minimum of eight guests staying a minimum of three nights.

As a further enticement, the 15 percent discount and room upgrade can be combined with Anse Chastanet’s already popular fourth and seventh night free promotions.

“This lovely deal invites our guests to take full advantage of one of the Caribbean’s most romantic resorts on an island that has chalked up numerous awards for its wedding and honeymoons charm and allure,” said Karolin Troubetkoy, executive director of Anse Chastanet.

Anse Chastanet features 49 rooms, some at beach level and others scattered about a lush hillside on an impressive 600-acre estate with two beaches and a great variety of wedding locations with views of the famous Pitons mountains.

“Whether you wish to get married amidst the ruins of an old colonial plantation, a rock outpost, the tree house, the beaches or on the resort yacht, we’ll make it happen, and yours will be the only nuptial ceremony that day,” Troubetzkoy promised, referring to the resort’s “one wedding a day” policy.

For the more adventurous, Anse Chastanet’s dive center “Scuba St. Lucia” can simulate an underwater wedding, with the legally binding component taking place either before or after the dive.

Anse Chastanet can customize pre-wedding events such as bachelor parties, which in the past have taken the form of a half-day fishing trip, mountain biking or a rain forest excursion.

Bachelorettes often choose to book the highly requested spa for a half-day exclusively for themselves, or charter the resort’s 42-foot yacht for a half-day sail.

Pre-wedding rehearsals can be held on the beach, or aboard a 60-foot double-decker motor catamaran on a sunset cruise with catering and music aboard.

For further information, visit www.elopetoparadiseweddings.com or https://www.facebook.com/STLUCIAWEDDINGS/photos_stream to review photos.

For bookings, call 1 800 223-1108, email ansechastanet@ansechastanet.com or visit www.ansechastanet.com.

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St Lucia’s Anse Chastenet Resort offers the perfect “Wedding Getaway”

Perfect Neighbour returns for Nigel B Nunes Mem Cup

DERBY and St Leger-winning colt Perfect Neighbour, who missed winning the Triple Crown by a head, put his three-year-old season behind him and returns to the track for his prep for the upcoming Superstakes in the $786,500 Nigel B Nunes Memorial Cup Open Allowance feature at Caymanas Park today.

Trained by champion and leading trainer Wayne DaCosta, Perfect Neighbour will face his sternest test to date while facing seven of the best local bred and ripened three-year-olds in the field of eight in this stamina-testing sprint going 1820 metres.The Nigel B Nunes Memorial headliner of the 11-race card is the penultimate race on the card and is set to go to post at approximately 4:55 pm with first post at 12:10 pm.Owned by Alfred A Lee and Jeffrey Mordecai, Perfect Neighbour, following a seven-week respite, returns to competitive racing in good heart, and with age and weight in his favour will give a very good account of himself, but this is no age-group fling.Commanding Chief, with Winston Griffiths in the irons, Typewriter with Shane Ellis astride, Raging Prospect, who, has shown great maturity since turning four, Military Move, who truly loves this distance and the pesky Exotic Gold are not in the race to fill space — far from it.Winning is the name of the game and all the runners in this field know how to win and the value attached. Earning is an important consideration for trainers, but winning is paramount.In a race such as this, the bigger picture is the upcoming Superstakes, and all these runners are expected to perform in a manner to give their trainers a guide as to how well preparation is progressing.Typewriter blew up over the stamina-testing journey of 2,000 metres on last when faced by some seasoned campaigners. Now four, Typewriter, who like Perfect Neighbour, won the final legs of the Triple Crown last year is in an easier spot, and having won twice over the distance in very good times, will be seen to better advantage despite being still saddled with the big weight.Truth be told, only the top campaigners have beaten Typewriter this season and now lowering his sight could register his third win of the season.With no Mark My Word and Classy Prospect with which to contend, Commanding Chief is presented a glorious chance to get among the top boys. Probably not genuine A1 material, Commanding Chief went down on last by 3/4 of a length to Classy Prospect going 2,000 metres when apprentice-ridden.Be that as it may, he comes back for the Nigel G Nunes Memorial Cup well prepared, and to be piloted by top reinsman Winston Griffiths, could go one better after failing by a similar margin of 3/4 of a length behind the imported horse Reasonable Press over today’s distance on June 29 when ridden by Shane Ellis.Ones To WatchRace 1 Gold Price (Dick Cardenas)Race 2 Rastaraven (Percy Williams)Race 3 Sheza Bosslady (Dane Nelson)Race 4 Austin Luke (Dane Nelson)Race 5 She Knows Best (Kuri Powell)Race 6 Reign Of Deftiny (Orlando Foster)Race 7 Princess Niyah (Dane Nelson)Race 8 Zen Zen (Rayan Wilson)Race 9 Lincoln Lawyer (Omar Walker)Race 10 Commanding Chief (Winston Griffiths)Race 11 Vana Pospect (Shamaree Muir)Former champion jockeys, Omar Walker (left) aboard El Cliente, and Dick Cardenas (right) atop Midnight Launch get down to serious business with the former prevailing to win the second race on Sunday’s ninerace card at Caymanas Park. (PHOTO: HURBUN WILLIAMS)

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Perfect Neighbour returns for Nigel B Nunes Mem Cup

Slain cop remembered as the perfect policeman

THE pews of the Highgate Gospel Assembly in St Mary overflowed with mourners who had turned out to pay tribute for the life of slain policeman Corporal Alphanso Bonnetto Gossop two Saturdays ago.

Gossop was attacked and shot close to his home on Sunrise Crescent in St Andrew earlier this month.His alleged attackers were quickly nabbed by alert cops and have been charged with murder, conspiracy to murder and illegal possession of a firearm.Gossop was described as a career cop who dedicated his life to the service of his country yet his life was senselessly snuffed out by scoundrels hell-bent on wreaking havoc on the society.As the casket bearing his remains lay draped in the national flag his colleagues and relatives paid tribute to the native son who gave his all to national development during his tenure on earth.Clearly shaken by his colleague’s brutal demise, head of the Police Federation, Sergeant Raymond Wilson, called for all well-thinking Jamaicans to take a stand against crime.“Today is no doubt a sad day. Gossop was a committed public servant, a patriot who was brutally murdered in broad daylight. Men of these atypical personas are few and hard to come by. As a people we must be committed and stand up. The police need your help to battle these reprobates who walk the streets,” Wilson said.Gossop spent 18 years as the bodyguard of Denise Eldemire-Shearer, the widow of former Prime Minister Hugh Shearer.Eldemire-Shearer was tearful as she paid tribute to a man who had grown to become part of her family.“When I got that call I cried for Gossop. I cried for my country. He protected me since 1998,” she said.Gossop who was 55 at the time of his death was born in Orange River, St Mary. He was the fifth of six children born to Clarice Vernon and Hubert Gossop.In 1977 he enlisted in the constabulary and was trained at the Port Royal Police Academy. His first assignment was at the Kingston Central Police Division. By 1981 he was transferred to the Protective Services Division where he served as the close protective officer to government minister Dr Kenneth BaughGossop was again transferred to the Kingston Central Police Division and also did a stint at the motorised patrol before he returned to the fold of the Protective Services Division.He was promoted to Corporal in 1999, a rank he held until the time of his untimely passing.Head of the Protective Services Division Superintendent Barrington Simpson, who delivered the eulogy, described Gossop as a cop with the right attitude.“If there was a perfect policeman then he could be described as such. He had the right attitude, discipline and deportment. He was gentle and caring although he could be stubborn at times,” Simpson said.Gossop’s nephew, Andrew Gossop, who is also a member of the constabulary, so called for Jamaicans to bell the crime cat.“Please help the police in the fight against crime. You don’t know whom the guns are going to be turned on next,” he said.Tributes were also offered by Gossop’s daughter Monique who read a poem and his colleague from the Protective Services Division Sergeant Andrea Campbell who belted out a heart- rending rendition of the hymn Oh What A Sunrise.Corporal Alphanso Bonnetto Gossop is survived by his wife Levene, eight children, five siblings, his family in the constabulary and a host of other relatives and friends. His remains were interred in the Marlborough Cemetery in St Mary.The late Corporal Alphanso Gossop.Gossop’s wife Levene holds their daughter Aleah close to her during the Thanksgiving Service.Jamaica Labour Party Chairman Bobby Montague comforts Denise Eldemire-Shearer as she cries for her late bodyguard.A section of the congregation of mourners who turned out to say their final farewell to Corporal Alphanso Gossop.Head of the Protective Services Division Superintendent Barrington Simpson delivers the eulogy.The police guard carries the casket bearing the remains of Corporal Alphanso Gossop. (PHOTOS: MICHAEL GORDON)Gossop’s daughter Monique is a picture of emotion as she reads a poem.

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Slain cop remembered as the perfect policeman