Consistent Tapit Good gets rewarding win

TAPIT GOOD closed the New Year's Day Reggae 6 at odds of 8-1, rewarded for consistency among $500,000 claimers after being runner-up in three consecutive races at the level.

Partnered by claiming rider Shaheem Gordon in whom trainer David Powell had deposited his faith for the fourth straight start, TAPIT GOOD, an in-utero, ran away from course-specialist JAGUAR at five furlongs straight.

TAPIT GOOD's upset pushed the Reggae 6 payout to $27,712, sending a single-winner opening mark of $3.98 million to tomorrow's nine-race card, the first Saturday meet of the new racing season.

FIRST OFFENSE, claimed for $1m by Peter-John Parsard for Naresh Nagrani on Boxing Day, sputtered to a third-place finish under Dane Dawkins as the 4-5 favourite behind runner-up PAPA GRAY, an 18-1 outsider.

FIRST OFFENSE was among four losing Reggae 6 favourites, SIR GANGA JAMUNA floored as the 8-5 first choice in the opening event by NUTTIN BUT TROUBLE, who won the $1m McKay Security Sprint at three and a half furlongs for $200,000 claimers.

WHISKY, an 8-5 choice, landed the second in which FURTHERANDBEYOND started as the 6-5 favourite at seven furlongs.

Americans THOUSAND TREASURES and RICORICORICO won the third and fourth events as 4-5 and 3-5 favourites, respectively.

SIPPIN ON SUNSHINE won the fifth at odds of 3-1, floating on the firmer stands' side, while 6-5 favourite IRISH WISH got bogged in the mud from post-position one, finishing a dismal 10th at odds of 6-5 over five furlongs straight.

Later in the afternoon, OF A REVOLUTION, winner of the Bruceontheloose Sprint when debuting locally on Mouttet Mile Day, was beaten by fellow American, GIRVANO, victim of a baffling ride from returning champion jockey Raddesh Roman.

Sent off as the 2-5 favourite for the open-allowance Miracle Man Sprint at seven furlongs, OF A REVOLUTION was held sixth down the backstretch while MAMMA MIA led in tame splits, 24.2 and 48.0, nothing compared to the half-mile 46.2 when chasing grade-one speedster DESERT OF MALIBU off the lead in the Bruceontheloose.

Roman awaited the last three furlongs to make a sweeping run, wide of rivals on a track made sloppy by afternoon rain, blowing the home turn, before trying to run down GIRVANO, who had taken over from stablemate MAMMA MIA a furlong and a half out.

GIRVANO, a late closer - who had famously upset stablemate and 2024 Mouttet Mile winner, FUNCAANDUN in last August's Distinctly Irish at nine furlongs and 25 yards - was not for catching, powering home under Robert Halledeen at odds of 9-2.