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Ricardo Makyn Photos - Chief executive officer of Post To Post Betting Company Limited, Sandra Donaldson, presenting the winning trainers' trophy to Wayne DaCosta, after the running of the Post To Post 2000 Guineas at Caymanas Park yesterday. Looking on are Mikey Bell (left), sports manager Post To Post Betting and winning rider Robert Halledeen.
Winning owner Winston Kong (right) having a big laugh after his colt ALI BABA won the Post To Post 2000 Guineas at Caymanas Park yesterday. At left is jockey Robert Halledeen who rode the winner.
ALI BABA (Robert Halledeen) winning the Post To Post 2000 Guineas at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Orville Clarke, STAR Writer
Leading trainer Wayne DaCosta is still smiling after he saddled the first two past the line in the Post To Post 2000 Guineas at Caymanas Park yesterday.
As the horses hit the final 400 metres, SEEKING MY DREAM (Shane Ellis up) took up the running, but in a terrific last 200 metres battle he was worn down by the vastly improved ALI BABA (Robert Halledeen) and the Winston Kong-owned colt went away in the end to beat his lesser fancied stable-companion by 1-1/4 lengths.
ALI BABA, by Fearless Vision - out of Ahwhofah, won in an impressive 1:37.4 behind splits of 23.0, 45.0 and a blistering 1:10.0 for the first six furlongs.
DaCosta was delighted with getting the winner and runner-up and said he had prepared both colts to run big races.
"Both were well prepared coming into the race and with the time of the winner pretty fast, I am expecting good things from both of them in the months ahead," the many-time champion trainer said.
ALI BABA (2-1) was kept off the fast early pace in sixth passing the half mile as stable-companion DRIPPING IN GOLD (20-1) with Shamaree Muir led from the rank outsider ROYAL ASSAULT (86-1), followed closely by ACTION MAN (48-1), highly-fancied SIEMPRE BUENO (5-2) with visiting Canadian champion jockey Patrick Husbands and SEEKING MY GOLD (6-1).
DRIPPING IN GOLD, after doing a perfect pace setting job, gave way to SEEKING MY DREAM and SIEMPRE BUENO approaching the home turn, but by then ALI BABA was beginning to find his best strides and was not far adrift in third entering the straight.
SEEKING MY DREAM, racing in the colours of Member of Parliament Derrick Smith, soon disposed of SIEMPRE BUENO, but despite strong urging from Ellis, was unable to stave off ALI BABA who showed a devastating turn of foot in the finals stages of the 1600 metres race.
Finishing third, another 2-3/4 lengths away, was the 6-5 favourite ALACRANN, who was also kept off the early pace and stayed on in the closing stages, while stable-companion SIEMPRE BUENO faded into fourth.
Halledeen, who has been riding for DaCosta with renewed confidence this season, was notching his first classic win. It was also the first for Kong, who made amends for his near miss in 2009 when his highly fancied horse THE GUMMER was beaten a nose by BRUCEONTHELOOSE in an epic last furlong duel.
