Favourites ensure cheap Reggae Six payout

LITTERED with favourites from start to finish, Sunday's Reggae 6 returned a paltry $1,483, outplayed by the Twilight 6, which paid out $161,676, boosted by GIVEMETHELIGHT's stunning victory by a nose in the eighth, nailing PRINCESS IFIYTAH at the wire.

Shane Ellis opened the Reggae Six with consecutive winners at five furlongs straight, seven-year-old American TAURUS BOY beating top-level claimers at odds of 4-5, followed by three-year-old debutant ANOTHER ONE's money-back stroll in the Mercury Sprint for colts and geldings.

Leading rider Robert Halledeen, who combined with champion trainer Jason DaCosta for a three-timer on Saturday, ended the weekend with four winners, using GELROY's speed to slice through the field of four-year-old maidens in the fourth at five and a half furlongs

GELROY moved Halledeen to 13 wins, five clear of champion jockey Raddesh Roman, who failed to visit the winners' enclosure after riding a two-timer on Saturday.

Roman made a desperate bid to win the third aboard FAITH DOWNIE at five furlongs straight but was caught close home by FIRST GRANDSON, who overcame post-position one with a strong finish in mid-track.

The new claiming riders continue to repay the confidence of trainers, making their bugs count in the jockeys' colony. Shaheem Gordon won his second career race aboard ZION'S PRINCESS in the fifth, breaking the six-year-old mare smartly from post-position one to see off SIX AVENUE down the backstretch before winning clear of SO MAGNIFICENT.

Eyeing a three-timer aboard 4-5 chance UNCLE HARRY in the sixth at seven furlongs, Ellis was dealt a bad hand as the Bern Identity-Long Running Train debutant left stall one in a tangle, never to recover in the I Love February Trophy won by fellow first-timer MARK MY IDENTITY, who closed rapidly with Dane Dawkins to collar 11-1 outsider COSALIVIN stealing home with Tevin Foster.

Saturday's Reggae 6 opens with a single-winner bonus of $6.4 million.

sports@gleanerjm.com