Favourites ensure low Reggae 6 payout

SIX consecutive winning favourites returned one of the lowest ever Reggae 6 payouts, $1,271, amid Peter-John Parsard accounting for three chalks among four winners on the 10-race card.

Parsard closed his four-timer with last year's champion two-year-old, WE JAMMIN, who won the seven-furlong Prince Consort Stakes in workmanlike fashion at a king's ransom of 9-5, six and a quarter lengths clear of DASHALLDAY in the 2000 Guineas prep.

Parsard, who continues to prove that being named last year's Most Improved Trainer was no fluke, impacted the Reggae 6 with three winning favourites - THE MAESTRO with Reyan Lewis at 1-5 in the third, BLU SENSATION at 4-5 in the fourth and TURNONTHELIGHT at 3-5 in the sixth, both ridden by Raddesh Roman.

Two-time defending champion Roman rode a three-timer on the programme, closed by 10-1 mild upsetter, INDESTRUCTIBLE in the eighth, to edge away from Tevin Foster, 29-26, atop the jockeys' standings.

Champion trainer Jason DaCosta almost turned the Reggae 6 on its head when his 13-1 chance, local-bred STAR QUEST, dead-heated with stablemate THE TEACHA, who hung on desperately at odds of 1-5 to share the photo.

DaCosta later returned to technically add a third winner with DREAM CATCHER in the Thornbird Stakes.

PAID THE PRICE

Meanwhile, SALUTE THE DON paid the price of trying to escape WE JAMMIN in the Prince Consort Stakes, losing what would have been a safe runner-up spot to 19-1 outsider DASHALLDAY, who he had beaten by 10 lengths in last month's Sir Howard Stakes.

Totally unperturbed with allowing 3-2 favourite SALUTE THE DON seven pounds after beating his rival by five lengths in December's Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes at a mile, WE JAMMIN broke sharply with six-time champion jockey Omar Walker.

WE JAMMIN pressed the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes replay button, hounding SALUTE THE DON down the backstretch and the far turn before making his bid entering the straight.

Still under a hand ride from Walker, WE JAMMIN scooted past SALUTE THE DON a furlong and a half out, needing only reminders to keep straight inside the final furlong as he notched his third win from four starts.

WE JAMMIN posted 1:25.4 for seven furlongs with topweight 126lb, a second and three-fifths faster than DREAM CATCHER, who won the fillies-only Thornbird Stakes in 1:27.2, benefitting from stablemate TAYLOR MADE, running ANOTHER WOW and VICTORIOUS LINKS ragged on the lead for her to pounce a furlong out.

Having again stamped his class on the best juveniles, WE JAMMIN's stocks have soared ahead of next month's Kingston at seven and a half furlongs, the last major prep for three-year-old colts and geldings before the 2000 Guineas at a mile on June 7.

Racing continues with a Saturday-Sunday meet at the weekend.