Losing favourites ensure decent Reggae 6 payout

STAR RACING SATURDAY's Reggae 6 payout of $42,467 was a decent take. Though there were no double-digit odds declared at the tote, races one through six, losing favourites drove up the dividend, a key factor to take into consideration when pondering an exotic bet.

It all started with SO BEAUTIFUL losing the opening event as a 7-5 favourite, nosed out by 7-2 chance LORD OF AJAHLON. RUNAWAY STAR and BURNING HEDGE's contrasting losses in the Prince Consort and Thornbird Stakes, respectively, both even-money favourites, put many Reggae 6 bets to the sword.

RUNAWAY STAR's disqualification was a no-brainer for the stewards, who let their intentions known before Raddesh Roman started pulling up the chestnut colt at the clubhouse turn, track-announcer Brian Rickman telegraphing the leading rider's fate well ahead of the suits' decision.

HONOUR PRINCE's deserved Prince Consort Stakes victory in the stewards' room and HANSA's triumph in the Thornbird Stakes marked return victories for the Sir Howard and Hot Line Stakes winners.

Both events set the stage for scores to be settled in next month's final Guineas prep races, the Portmore and Kingston, at seven and a half furlongs.

Roman set an appointment to face the stewards at Winchester Road after his right-hand whipping coming off the turn in the Prince Consort forced RUNAWAY STAR to bear down on rail-running HONOUR PRINCE, who had to be snatched up and switched to mid-track by Phillip Parchment.

HONOUR PRINCE, the six-furlong Sir Howard Stakes winner, was fated to complete back-to-back 2000 Guineas prep victories, taken in hand by Parchment three furlongs out when almost brought down by STRONG MIND backing out of a heated pace being set by RUNAWAY STAR's stablemate, I DREAM AGAIN, and PRINCE ROY.

Mending along the rail, HONOUR PRINCE took the shortest route into the straight to launch his bid at I DREAM AGAIN whereas even-money favourite RUNAWAY STAR straightened three-wide, darting to the rail when whipped by Roman.

Despite what would have been an obvious disqualification, Parchment roused 9-2 chance HONOUR PRINCE to get within a length of RUNAWAY STAR, who passed the post in front, clocking 1:28.3, the same time recorded by HANSA in the fillies' only Thornbird Stakes.

HANSA straightened five-wide in the Thornbird to outfinish a rallying SOCIAL AVIATIOR and stablemate DANKA close home.

SOCIAL AVIATOR, last month's six-furlong Hot Line Stakes winner, suffered her first loss in three starts, leading past stablemate MISS MONEYPENNY off the turn but was soon ganged by Richard Azan's pair of rail-running DANKA and HANSA in mid-track.

DANKA pointed inside the final half-furlong but HANSA quickened on the outside to take over close home, powering in ahead of SOCIAL AVIATOR rallying late to deny Azan the exacta.

Racing continues on Saturday, followed by Easter Monday's holiday meet.