DUC D FER WINS VICTOR CHANDLER STAKES

& TROPHY (GR.1. - BAR) WHILE APOSTLE

CAPTURES THE DIAMONDS INTERNATIONAL/

AUDEMARS PIGUET BONUS CHALLENGE

STAKES & TROPHY (GR.1R. - BAR)

By Charlie Heath

The Aysha Syndicate's 4-year-old bay gelding DUC D FER won the co-feature Victor Chandler Stakes & Trophy (GR.1. - BAR) for the top class horses going 1570 metres (7.8 furlongs) on Boxing Day the final day of the Barbados Turf Club's 2006 Racing Season.

When starter Mark Batson sent the horses on their way it was KABUL with Andy Ward aboard that went to the lead followed by WHISKEY FOR ME with Anderson Trotman; MORETHANAWOMEN and SPECTROSCOPE while FAVORITE PLAYER was slowly away.

With five furlongs to go KABUL got a challenge from WHO'S WAVERING as LIGHTNING PILOT moved up to third followed by MORETHANAWOMEN and WHISKEY FOR ME while DUC D FER with apprentice Chris Husbands and FAVORITE PLAYER with Ricky Walcott were at the back of the field.

KABUL still led the field with three furlongs to go followed by WHO'S WAVERING LIGHTNING PILOT, WHISKEY FOR ME and FAVORITE PLAYER who had moved into a challenging position, with DUC D FER twelve lengths off the leaders and only then being asked for an effort by Husbands.

LIGHTNING PILOT was the one that led them into the straight for the run home followed by the Liz Deane trained WHISKEY FOR ME with the Clayton Greenidge trained FAVORITE PLAYER on their heels while DUC D FER could be seen coming with a long strong run cutting the field down like a hot knife going through butter.

At the wire it was Chris Husbands who got the Liz Deane trained DUC D FER to win in the last stride with a perfectly timed ride to take the very lucrative first prize of $31,378, kindly donated by Mr. & Mrs. Michael Tabor.

Sir David Seal's FAVORITE PLAYER ran another game race to be second; WHISKEY FOR ME was third and LIGHTNING PILOT held on for fourth.

The final race of the Diamonds International/ Audemars Piguet series of races for the 2-year-olds run over 1570 metres (7.8 furlongs) was won by the Elias Haloute and Sir Charles Williams owned chestnut gelding APOSTLE trained by Andrew Nunes.

Anderson Trotman put APOSTLE to the lead from the start and was never threatened running out an easy winner from the Edward Walcott Jr. trained, Gay Smith owned pair of SUPER TARASON with Jamar Maughn and SUPER STAR with Jono Jones while HAWAYAN TROPIC was fourth.

The jockey of the day was Anderson Trotman who for the second consecutive day rode three winners however his effort was not quite good enough to catch Juan Crawford who won the 2006 jockeys title.

Apprentice Rocco Bowen also had a good day winning two races which gave him the apprentice title for 2006.

Congratulations to apprentice Kenny John for winning his first race on SHOCK AND AWE in the day's first race.

Trainer Naz Issa was like a man on a mission. He started the day with a small lead for the 2006 trainers title from William Clarke and landed three winners to take the title.

Elizabeth 'Liz' Deane also had a good day saddling the first and third horses in the day's co-feature for the Aysha Syndicate as well as winning the sixth race.

Racing continues on Saturday, January 6, 2007 with the Hall of Fame Inductees Raceday.