Sixth Mouttet Mile ‘deportee’ wins easy

A CONCERNING trend continued at Caymanas Park on Saturday when LEGACY ISLE, the Florida invader caught at the wire by local-based American, FUNCAANDUN, in the US$250,000 Mouttet Mile, became the sixth foreigner to emerge from the December 7 race to outclass rivals a grade, or two, lower than the grade-one event.

Partnered by an almost-motionless Tevin Foster, LEGACY ISLE shot past CHOCOMO with ease a half-mile out in the five-furlong round Omar Walker Trophy for overnight-allowance runners on Saturday, two levels lower than the Mouttet Mile, which he had lost agonisingly close home after exiting quarantine days before the event.

Having impressed at exercise the previous Saturday morning, clocking 58.0 from the gate, the first four furlongs in 45.1, LEGACY ISLE, who had failed to finish his first post-Mouttet Mile race, showed no sign of ill-health, cruising into the lane on his bridle to clock an effortless 1:00.1.

The Mouttet Mile form has, so far, held true for six returnees. Third-past-the-post COMMANDANT, who was a length and a quarter behind runner-up LEGACY ISLE, toyed with open-allowance company the previous Saturday, a level above overnight allowance.

Other winning Mouttet Mile graduates, all foreigners, include TIZ TOK, who was fifth, PACK PLAYS and BARNABY, sixth and seventh, respectively.

WALL STREET TRADER, who finished 12th in the Mouttet Mile, returned to wire overnight-allowance runners at six and a half furlongs on Ash Wednesday, confirming a vast class difference caused by the condition book not recognising the invitational event as a rating marker.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Owen Sharpe’s NEPHEW, ridden by claiming jockey Demar Williams, scaringly survived a stewards’ enquiry and jockeys’ objection to win the closing race of the 2024-2025 BGLC-TOBA Millionaires Series at six and a half furlongs.

NEPHEW, a disqualified winner at the exact trip under Trevor Simpson last time out, straightened third against the rail in chase of Adrian Prince’s INCREDIBLE JO, who left the three-furlong marker with a three-length lead.

After quickening to go second a furlong and a half out, NEPHEW collared INCREDIBLE JO at the furlong poled but drifted right, seemingly into his rival’s path, then left, to close the rail close home.

However, Lady Luck smiled on NEPHEW this time around, allowing his connections to collect the final $1 million BGLC-TOBA Millionaires Series cheque, a series that has re-energised owners of two and three-year-olds, both local and foreign-bred.

- Ainsley Walters