Valorous No 4, Leading Lady No 8 in Massy Insurance Trinidad Derby

IT WILL now be the Massy United Insurtance Trinidad Derby.

The blue riband event for West Indies-bred three-year-olds to be run over 2000 metres will be the featiure of the 10-race programme on Independence Day, next week Thursday, with total prize money of $350,000.

The Massy Group have taken over sponsorship of the classic on what will be called Massy Day at the Races.

The announcement of the sponsorship was made at a launch at the Santa Rosa Park, racing plant yesterday, and of course all races willl be named for Massy United Insurance branches .

Massy United Insurance have also sponsored the Derby in neighbouring Barbados for the past 33 years.

Mexican-born rider Carlos Montalvo will be returning to partner Leading Lady in the Derby after guiding the filly to victory in the Midsummer Classic, beating Valorous who was seeking the Triple Crown.

But seven-time Sovereign Award winning jockey Patrick Husbands will not be back to ride Valorous who will now have Venezuelan Ikvan Pimental in the saddle.

At the draw for post positions also held yesterday, “The :Lady” was drawn in the No 8 slot while rival Valorous will be leaving the starting stalls from the No 4 slot.

Whisper Light to be ridden by veteran Rickardo Jadoo, a surprise winner of the President’s Cup recently is drawn in the No 8 slot and Conquest Bespoke No 2 will renew rivalry in the co-feature $150,000 Independence Cup over 1800 metres on the turf course.

But the duo will have to contend with “Horse of the Year” Thisonesforron drawn No 7.’

Here’s how the horses will line up in the two races:

RACE 7 (3:30 PM) - MASSY REMITTANCES INDEPENDENCE CUP (GRADE 2) - 3 Y.O. & OVER - 1800 METRES (TURF) - PURSE:$150,000

1. MADIBA 51.5 B Boodramsingh;2. CONQUEST BESPOKE 57 I Pimentel; 3. PEACE N GLORY 54 C Montalvo; 4. TRINI NAVIGATOR 57 D Khelawan; 5. BUFFALO SOLDIER 57 J Boodramsingh; 6. STOCKYARD 57 R Ali; 7, THISONESFORRON 57 N Abrego;8. MAGICAL VICTORY 5 K Khelawan; 4

9. WHISPER LIGHT 57 R Jadoo

RACE 9 (4:45 PM) - THE MASSY UNITED INSURANCE TRINIDAD DERBY (GRADE 1) - W.I. BRED 3 Y.O. 2000 METRES - PURSE:$350,000

1.HELLO 57 F Urdaneta; 2.MAHA RAJA 57 D Khelawan;

3. DIVINE INSPIRATION 57 N Ortiz; 4. VALOROUS 57 I Pimentel; 5. CAESAR COUNTRY 57 R Jadoo; 6. BATTLE CRY 57 B Boodramsingh; 7. ROCKET WHEELS 54 K Khelawan; 8. LEADING LADY 54 C Montalvo; 9. DISCOULDRUN 57 J Boodramsingh; 10. LORD SILVER 57 S Rodrigo; 11. GOLDEN CHOICE 54 RThomas