HAIL THE QUEEN spoiled Jason DaCosta’s tag-team plans, stunning at odds of 25-1 in yesterday’s overnight-allowance sprint, taking over from another longshot, 18-1 chance MY SUNSHINE, to deny the champion trainer’s 2025 Derby winner, I DREAM AGAIN, whose charge was only good for third, arriving too late in the five-furlong round event.
Owned and trained by Ian Roberts, HAIL THE QUEEN stalked the pace being set by expected leaders DANKA and DaCosta’s STARRAURA, racing ahead of the champion trainer’s other speedster, FORMALIST, who was trapped along the rail, unable to join the kamikaze opening quarter of 22.4.
Held just off the spits by Omar Walker, HAIL THE QUEEN made her bid at the leaders, coming off the home turn four wide of DANKA, STARRAURA and MY SUNSHINE, who got a dream run along the rail to launch a strong challenge between rivals in the straight.
In a driving finish with four horses across the track a furlong out, HAIL THE QUEEN powered past MY SUNSHINE to score back-to–back upset wins with Walker after beating $1m claimers at five and a half furlongs on September 6.
Wound up for a stretch charge, 4-5 favourite I DREAM AGAIN came calling with Robert Halledeen, getting within a short head of MY SUNSHINE while HAIL THE QUEEN was already a length and three-quarter clear, clocking 1:00.1.
HAIL THE QUEEN’s upset was the third of four to rock yesterday’s nine-race card, the longest shot being 59-1 shocker, TOM DULY, who turned the Reggae 6 on its head in the fifth event, sending all bets to the boneyard for a carryover of $5.2 million, accompanied by a single-winner bonus of $3.9m to next Saturday’s meet.
Whereas bettors were warned in Friday’s STAR Sports Reggae 6 preview to “take no chances in the first four races”, the bombs were instead dropped on PICKLEBALL and DRONE STRIKE, ‘proposed bankers’ at the tail end of the popular bet.
PICKLEBALL, who would have been normally scratched after going down on her hind quarters in the gate, was allowed to run, raising no gallop as the 2-5 favourite among maiden three-year-olds at five furlongs straight.
BEHAVE and DOK were going at each other a furlong out when TOM DULY drifted inwards under Emelio McLean to split the pair close home, winning by a head as a 59-1 stunner.
Still licking their wounds, bettors were next hit by 9-1 chance MILLINIUM STAR, who shocked 6-5 favourite DRONE STRIKE in the sixth event.
DRONE STRIKE, whose loss shook Reggae 6 bets to the core last time out, touted to ‘make amends in the sixth at five furlongs straight’ after being stumped by upsetter CW’S TREASURE on September 5, fell to MILLINIUM STAR, who ran past the 6-5 favourite close home, driving the final nail in the Reggae 6’s coffin.
Twilight 6 players were struck even deadlier, taken out by TOM DULY (59-1) and MILLINIUM STAR (9-1) before last rites were read by HAIL THE QUEEN at 25-1 in the eighth and EXPEDITIOUS at 21-1 in the ninth, closing a thumping day for bettors with a carryover of $3.8m.
