International team wins jockey challenge

The International team of Jim Crowley, Hector Crouch, Clifford Lee and Kevin Krigger edged out the Barbados team of Ricky Walcott, Arron Daniel, Rey Williams, and Richard Hughes — 89 to 87 — in a very exciting four-race battle in the Barbados Lottery jockey challenge, which had spectators on their feet with some very exciting riding.

In the first jockey challenge starting from race five, The Double Draw Instant Jockey Challenge Trophy, it was Rey Williams putting down an excellent winning front running ride on the 7-2 short-priced Donna’s True Bling who has now won three of her last four starts.

Rey dictated the pace in the 1100-metre event but got a stern challenge from Cabalito with Cliff Lee aboard with a roar of the crowd from the Bajan and English fans as the Bajan spectators were cheering on their home rider and The English cheering for Lee.

Winning Owner of Donna’s True Bling, Peter Odle, who is responsible for housing the overseas riders at Hotel The Sands, wasted no time sending out Cap Rocat in race 6, The Mega 6 jockey challenge, winning his fourth race in a row with English rider Hector Crouch.

Crouch picked up four points for his team when Lovely was going after a Hat Trick of wins in race 5 but was withdrawn on the morning of races. The international rule states that when your Horse is withdrawn, four points will be added to the team.

King Canute, owned by Lady Seale, the Wife of Sir David Seale, was looking to make every yard a winning one with Arron Daniel but was caught in the last stride by Cap Rocat as the visitors in the Grand Stand were in a Frenzy were closing in on the Bajan riders in points.

Sir David Seale-owned Criterion was third with Bajan rider Delano Lopez and Hot Stepper with Krigger was fourth.

Impeachment with Hughes and Cold War with Cliff Lee finished fifth and sixth as points were awarded down to those places.

The Bajan team got ahead when Antinio Bishop won the third jockey challenge in race 6, with Riddick in race 7, but  the International team snatched back the lead in the final race of the day, taking three of the top four places. Kevin Krigger won a gem of a ride on Paper Trail, Daniel made sure there was not a clean sweep of places for the English team finishing second with Gayzed,Crouch ran third on Show Me the Milk  and Lee on Malala fourth. (KL)