Roman extends lead with five-timer

CHAMPION JOCKEY Raddesh Roman, who started yesterday with 54 winners, doubling second-place Shane Ellis, notched a fistful of wins, moving farther into the land of an unassailable lead, bar any unforeseen incident, in his quest for a second consecutive riders’ title.

Roman, Reyan Lewis, the 2023 champion rider, and claiming jockey Richie Shakes, accounted for nine events on the 10-race card.

Among Roman’s five-timer was Peter-John Parsard’s WOMAN IN LOVE, who made all at six and a half furlongs in the fillies-only GOOD PROSPECT Trophy for three-year-olds, non-winners of two races.

A half-sister to 2023 Gold Cup winner, She’s My Destiny, 2-1 chance WOMAN IN LOVE had no speed to contend with on the lead, first turning back KIMUCHI to coast on the lead leaving the half-mile marker.

KHALEESI, the 8-5 favourite, who had placed fifth in the seven-furlong Portmore trial for the 1000 Guineas, against the best fillies, went in chase of WOMAN IN LOVE.

However, KHALEESI, who had turned for home full of running in May’s Portmore and the 1000 Guineas earlier this month, shockingly started plodding approaching the home turn, joined by rank outsider, NATIVE FLYER, running at odds of 51-1.

Hustled in the stretch run by Roman, WOMAN IN LOVE was only too happy to streak home, unmolested, in 1:23.3, a length and a half clear of ENTHUSIASM closing from off the pace.

Roman’s first two winners were out the straight chute, 9-5 chance QUEEN ZAN dropping from $350,000 claiming to plunder $200,000 settlers, followed by another out-of-class performance, 2-5 favourite SENSATIONAL MOVE keeping his unbeaten tag intact among $1 million claimers.

After booting home WOMAN IN LOVE, Roman also won the eighth, closing from off the pace with WAYNE’S PRINCESS to rush past ARIA’S REIGN half-furlong out at five and a half furlongs.

Roman closed the card and his five-timer astride 5-2 chance MONEY BOX, who stormed from off the pace to sweep by the struggling pair of XYLOPHONIC STEEL and SHINE FOR ME at five and a half furlongs.

Shakes won the first and third events astride BLADE and MAYA, respectively, whereas Lewis rallied JUSTIN BIGTIME to outfinish MS CHERRY in the second, closing his two-timer astride ROARING KITTY, who produced a late charged to mow down DUTCHESS stealing home in the sixth.

Racing continues this afternoon, an 11-race card highlighted by a Reggae 6 mandatory payout, which opens at the first event at $16.3 million, which could swell to a $25 million pot.