'June' streaks to Titania Trophy

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

IT WAS an afternoon stroll for 1-2 favourite TWENTYFIRSTOFJUNE at Caymanas Park yesterday as the lightly-raced, three-year-old filly cruised home by seven lengths in the Titania Trophy co-feature over 1100 metres.

Ridden by non-claiming apprentice Javour Simpson for 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny, TWENTYFIRSTOFJUNE broke well to chase early leader BORN TO DANCE (8-1), under Pana-manian jockey Dick Cardenas, in the seven-strong field, before mounting her challenge approaching the home turn.

She turned for home on level terms with BORN TO DANCE and quickly gained the ascendancy. She was then left clear when BORN TO DANCE broke down - and later had be put down - early in the straight, coming home by a wide margin in the smart time of 1:06.2.

GIRLOFMYDREAMS (7-2), who was never far off the pace, stayed on to finish four lengths clear of LITTLE BAY (4-1) who raced prominently into the straight.

A three-year-old chestnut filly by Royal Minister out of Good Press, TWENTYFIRSTOFJUNE is owned by 5 Zeigen and bred by the HAM Stables Limited. She was named for her owner's birthday.

Earlier in the afternoon, howling odds-on favourite NAVAL COMMANDER finished second for the third time in as many starts when he was decisively beaten by 11-1 outsider ETERNAL STAR in the opening race over 1,600 metres for the Andrew H.B. Aguilar Memorial Cup confined to maiden two-year-olds.

Good time

Ridden by Devon A. Thomas for trainer Gary Subratie and owners the Oakridge Farms, ETERNAL STAR won the speed duel with highly-fancied REGGAE ROCK into the straight and quickened away to win by 2 1/4 lengths in the fairly good time of 1:39.1.

Despite running on Lasix for the first time, the Percy Hussey-trained NAVAL COMMANDER, with Cardenas again in the saddle, found himself outpaced as usual and only improved into second after the winner had flown. Still, he finished 3 3/4 lengths clear of LINDA BLAKE in third. Six ran.

ETERNAL STAR, who won on this his third start, is a bay colt by Spacelink out of the Peacemaker mare Infinity, bred by the Orange Valley Estates Limited.

Although out of luck with NAVAL COMMANDER and also taking a heavy fall from BORN TO DANCE in the ninth race, Cardenas rode two winners in the Hussey-trained COLUMBUS (4-1) in the fifth, humbling 1-9 favourite SKETEL, and 2-1 favourite CHIPONYOURSHOULDER for trainer Welsh Soutar in the eighth.

Also riding two winners were Paul 'Country' Francis (BONNIE'S VICTORY and MEDICAL ACCOUNT) and five-time champion Trevor Simpson who had the leg over Lee Clarke's ALFALLO (4-1) as well as the howling 3-5 favourite ACROBAT, who won the closing straight five race on a common canter, this for trainer Norman Palmer.