Reggae Month Trophy marks triumphant return for Laban

LABAN RETURNED up in class, off a three-month break, to overpower rivals in yesterday’s Reggae Month Trophy at five furlongs straight, the first of back-to-back winners on the nine-race card for three-time champion jockey Anthony Thomas.

Benefiting from a small field of six breaking from mid-course, nullifying the track bias, 7-1 chance LABAN raced in touch of the leaders from stall one.

Topweight GOD OF LOVE had a tough time shaking off twin challenges from lightweights LURE OF LUCY with 112lb and TAURUS BOY carrying 102lb. Running with 126lb and hounded by his lighter rivals from the start, GOD OF LOVE failed to quicken approaching the final furlong.

LABAN, a strong, closing sprinter, pounced on the battling trio a furlong out. Carrying 112lb, six-year-old LABAN rallied under Thomas to beat United States-bred LURE OF LUCY by three-quarter length, clocking 1:00.1.

DUKE closed with a flourish late to snatch third from GOD OF LOVE, who was clearly undone by topweight.

Thomas, dethroned by Dane Dawkins last season, was among three jockeys with two winners apiece, returning in the following event to rally 2-1 joint favourite DADDY JONES past RAS EMANUEL, who had gone by coming off the home turn at seven and a half furlongs.

Robert Halledeen also rode consecutive winners, first driving home 2-1 shot RANI BANGALA past TRAVELLER’S LODGE in a clash of the Pearson brothers’ runners in the fifth event at five and a half furlongs.

Robert Pearson’s RANI BANGALA wore down Christopher’s TRAVELLER’S LODGE with claiming rider Shavon Townsend, beating the even-money favourite by a length and a quarter in 1:10.1 in the maiden event for four-year-olds.

Reyan Lewis had to survive a stewards’ enquiry aboard 1-9 favourite BOOTYLICIOUS in the second event to start his double. Sidelined with sore shins since scoring a 15-length winner on her two-year-old debut in November, BOOTYLICIOUS led the six-furlong event easily into the lane before being challenged by BURLAP a furlong and a quarter out.

While rousing BOOTYLICIOUS, Lewis drifted into the path of BURLAP with Dawkins but was deemed clear by the stewards after winning by a widening length and three-quarter.

Lewis completed his double in the fourth event aboard GENERAL CHIEF, producing the four-year-old grey colt with a late run inside the final half-furlong to go by longtime leaders LORD BURKINGTON and POWER OF FAITH close home.

Racing continues on Ash Wednesday with nine events.