Affirmative cruises to President’s Cup victory

AFFIRMATIVE cruised to victory in the Fernandes Black Label Rum President’s Cup on Monday, the feature race on the Arima Race Club (ARC) 2022 season’s Race Day 10, at the Santa Rosa Park, Arima.

The seven-year-old, trained by Ramesh Ramroop and ridden by Dillon Khelawan, was challenged early on by Super Bird, who had Nigel Flavenney aboard.

Both horses traded places up front, and were neck and neck for half of the 1,900-metre race, which was contested in cool conditions at Arima.

Affirmative, who was given odds of 7-5, pushed out in front with 700 metres to go and, according to the saying, it was all over bar the shouting.

Stroke of Luck, the pre-race favourite (6-5), with Brian Boodramsingh aboard, made a late surge to finish second, while Pawan Putra, ridden by Ricardo Jadoo, was third.

Khelawan was the most successful jockey with four winners, while, among the trainers, Ramroop and Lester Alexis each had two winners.

Race Day 12 is carded for July 2.