Commandant goes gate to wire in Seeking My Dream

UNITED STATES-BRED COMMANDANT, who failed to finish the Ian Levy Cup won by fellow importee BARNABY, yesterday turned the tables on runner-up ATOMICA, proving something had gone amiss in the April 5 race when his hind legs splayed coming off the turn in chase of the local mare.

Breaking sharply from post-position one, COMMANDANT reproduced his sparkling exercise form in a gate-to-wire run, closing a three-timer for champion jockey Raddesh Roman in the Seeking My Dream Trophy at seven and a half furlongs.

ATOMICA’s stablemate, American DESERT OF MALIBU, pressed COMMANDANT down the backstretch, attempting to tag-team the five-year-old. However, COMMANDANT, who made his local debut with a strong third-place run in the December 7 Mouttet Mile behind local-based American FUNCCANDUN, turned back the pair of six-year-olds.

DESERT OF MALIBU attacked in backstretch splits of 23.2, 46.0 and 1:11.3 for six furlongs while ATOMICA stalked. Resolute on the lead, COMMANDANT kicked off the turn, leaving DESERT OF MALIBU sputtering on the muddy track while ATOMICA took her favoured rail route in chase of the American.

Always a finicky sort when not on the lead, ATOMICA had lost ground leaving the half-mile, ducking stinging wet sand being kicked at her, giving COMMANDANT room to slip away and too much for her to do in the stretch run, chasing a seven-furlong split of 1:24.4.

COMMANDANT won in 1:31.4 as the 8-5 favourite, icing on the cake for Roman, who kicked off the nine-race card by landing the opening double astride 3-1 chance BUSHFIRE and 4-5 favourite, TIGRAY EXPRESS.

Roman’s three-timer pushed him to 38 wins in defence of his first title, 14 clear of Shane Ellis. Byron Davis topped his peers by saddling two winners, seven-year-old LAST HOORAH, who scored a 9-1 upset in the fourth among older maidens, and 9-5 favourite MIDNIGHT FLIGHT, beating non-winners of four races, and imported non-winners of three, in the seventh at five furlongs straight.

Racing continues with the two-day Labour Day weekend meet, starting Friday.