Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Highly fancied COLONEL WALES turned in a smashing performance to win the $4.35 million Supreme Ventures Jamaica 2-Y-O Stakes over 1600 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday, turning the tables on recent conqueror CLASSY PROSPECT in the process.

Installed a 3-2 second favourite with five-time champion jockey Trevor Simpson riding for trainer Percy Hussey and his mom Ruth, COLONEL WALES won by 4 3/4 lengths from the even-money favourite CLASSY PROSPECT with Shane Ellis riding for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, with 5-2 chance AL FOUZIA under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths placing third.

Non-starters

Both KRYPTOGRAM and HEART OF A CHAMPION were declared late non-starters, reducing the field to 14. Their non-participation delayed the start for more than 10 minutes as KRYPTOGRAM, who was backed down to 9-2, slipped up in the starting gate and got stuck underneath. As a result, all the horses had to be taken out of the gate for some time before being reloaded.

COLONEL WALES was well away from post position 12, but not so CLASSY PROSPECT who was a bit slow into stride from the number four post position. Travelling nicely in fourth position was SAEED (28-1) led under pressure from AL FOUZIA and CLASSY PROSPECT mending on the rails, COLONEL WALES shot into the lead approaching the 600-metre pole.

Bustling ride

He turned for home 1¹/² clear of CLASSY PROSPECT and under a bustling ride from 'Slicer' Simpson, moved away from CLASSY PROSPECT (on inside) leaving the furlong pole for an easy victory, his second from five career starts.

The win enabled Ruth Hussey to capture the owners' championship for the second time since 2004. She was locked in a close duel with former champion Elias Haloute for the title in recent months, but COLONEL WALES proved her ace in the hole. The elated owner had this to say:

Very confident

"I was very confident going into the race but you still have to be mindful of the fact that anything can happen ... that's the nature of racing.

"The horse has pleased us in his preparation and based on his running when a fast-finishing second to CLASSY PROSPECT in his previous race over 1400 metres, I knew team Hussey could do it today. After all, this is our lucky race ... .

"We won it last year with MISS RUTH and the year before with JOSIE WALES. Everything worked out fine and this has come about by hard work and proper planning," she said.

Bred by the Y.S. (1955) Limited, COLONEL WALES is a bay colt by Region Of Merit out of November Lace. With this victory he is almost sure to be voted the Champion two year-old.

Failed by one

Meanwhile, the jockeys' championship between sidelined-champion Omar Walker and challenger Paul 'Country' Francis was also decided yesterday, with Francis (97 wins) failing by one to catch Walker (98) after managing only one winner (Naturally Royal) on the 12-race programme.

Walker, who was winning his third consecutive title, has been sidelined with a shoulder injury sustained in an October 31 spill.

On a day when KING FERDINAND at 77-1, PALATINE at 22-1 and RUNNING LOOSE at 17-1 provided the upsets, RUM TALK (9-5) won the Harry Jackson Memorial Cup supporting feature over 2400 metres, for the second straight year, in a driving finish from 7-5 favourite AD INFINITUM in a field of seven. The five-year-old horse was ridden by Griffiths for 14-time champion Philip Feanny.