Cataba stuns speedsters to sweeten Reggae 6 payout

CATABA, who made all at odds of 7-1 under new management, was the longest shot on Sunday's Reggae 6, which returned a decent payout of $137,832, despite starting with a hat-trick of winning favourites.

SUDDEN FLIGHT, LUCY ON THE GO and HICKORY SLIM, trainer Donovan Phillipps' 100th career winner, were all loud whispers, backed by stable confidence manifested by the tote.

SUDDEN FLIGHT went off at 7-5 to make all in the Reggae 6 opener at three and a half furlongs, winning easily with Tevin Foster for Rowan Mathie after being beaten off the claim by RUM WITH ME on October 25 at five furlongs straight.

LUCY ON THE GO handed Dane Dawkins the first of three thrilling winners on the 10-race card. Champion jockey 2022, got his day rolling astride LUCY ON THE GO at four furlongs straight for Peter-John Parsard.

Though going off as the 3-5 favourite after beating maidens at the exact trip on November 15 with Dawkins aboard, four-year-old LUCY ON THE GO had to be ridden out to win by a neck from 9-1 outsider, NOBLE MONARCH, partnered by claiming rider Richie Shakes.

Dawkins closed the late double with feature-event victories astride DIGITAL ONE and HAZELNUT in the Alsafra Trophy and Flossie McNeil Memorial Cup, respectively.

HICKORY SLIM wore down United States-bred UNCLE PECK at seven and a half furlongs to land the third at surprisingly short odds of 2-5, turning the tables on third-place MONSTER VIGOROUS, who had beaten him by four and a half lengths at a mile on September 14.

The Reggae 6 closing races, won by Canadian ALMASTY LIST at 3-1, CATABA and 7-2 market springer, RIDGE LINER, required bettors to go with back-class instead of their last races.

ALMASTY LIST stole a march on DIESEL TRAIN, who arrived too late as the 3-5 favourite at five furlongs round, failing by a head in the fourth.

CATABA, outsped in her last race behind BIG ARGUMENT, was a reminder that horses changing barns are often accompanied by either improved or diminished form. CATABA reported with improved form to blow away renowned speedsters such as JAGUAR and TALONA.

RIDGE LINER, returning among top-level claimers after being run off his legs by overnight-allowance horses at five furlongs straight on September 6, proved his 58.1 at the trip on August 16 was no fluke, outbattling a wall of horses to win at odds of 7-2 from fast-finishing 3-1 chance WHISKY.

Racing continues on Saturday, the final meet of the month before December opens the following week with the big Mouttet Mile 12-race card; and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders association of Jamaica annual Mixed Sale a day after.