THE premier event on the local racing calendar, The Style Group Jersey Derby, was won at Les Landes yesterday by Guernsey’s Trevor and Pat Gallienne’s The West Awake, forming the middle leg of a treble for trainer Alyson Malzard and jockey Adam Jones.
This year’s renewal, which due to the current dry spell was run on what at best could be described as very firm ground, featured only four runners going to post, the smallest field to contest the Jersey Derby since Compassionate beat two rivals in 2001. However, while lacking quantity the race did not lack quality for the bumper crowd as The West Awake (pictured holding off a late challenge from Koka Fast) and Danehill Dazzler are two of the highest rated horses to run locally.
As expected Koka Fast who, according to handicap ratings, had a mountain to climb took up the lead from flag fall under Emmett Stack and he appeared to have his two higher rated opponents in trouble three furlongs from home. However his better fancied stable companion The West Awake, ridden byJones, took up the lead in the final furlong and held on gamely as Koka Fast renewed his challenge to win by a neck, with odds on favourite Danehill Dazzler a never nearer three lengths back in third and Tevere bringing up the tail a further six lengths behind.
