- Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
STRONG HOPE (left) storms through under former champion jockey Trevor Simpson to win the $2 million Cash Pot Only One For Me Trophy race for two-year-olds over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday. Offering odds of 7-2, STRONG HOPE was saddled by champion trainer Wayne DaCosta.

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

STRONG HOPE, running at odds of 7-2 under five-time champion jockey Trevor Simpson, produced a tremendous stretch run to win the $2 million Cash Pot Only One For Me Trophy for native bred two-year-olds over 1200 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday.

This marked race No. 1 in the $8.5 million Supreme Ventures 2-y-o series of three which continues on November 25 with the second race over 1400 metres and concludes on Boxing Day with the $3 million Jamaica 2-Y-O Stakes.

Significantly, the owner of the horse good enough to win all three races in the series will receive a million-dollar bonus from Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL).

STRONG HOPE won in a manner to suggest that he will be seen to even better advantage over the extended distances of the next two races in the series and his owners, Dr. Francis Barnett and Edison Chai, are hoping that the lightly-raced bay gelding by Outrigger out of the 2000 One Thousand Guineas winner Ray Of Hope can go all the way.

Outpaced towards the rear of the field as the even-money favourite ALNASKRA made most ahead of stable-companion TOOT DI HOOT (2-1) and MUCHO GUSTO (2-1) in the seven-strong field, STRONG HOPE took closer orders to straighten six lengths fifth.

With TOOT DI HOOT coming through under Richie Mitchell to grab the lead approaching the distance, STRONG HOPE emerged from out of the clouds leaving the furlong pole, storming through on the outside in the last 100 metres to win by 2 1/4 lengths from the Richard Azan-trained TOOT DI HOOT with another neck to Brian Harding's mount MUCHO GUSTO in third.

STRONG HOPE is trained by reigning champion Wayne DaCosta, who also saddled last year's winner SUPER NATURAL.

Bred by his owners, STRONG HOPE released the maiden certificate on this his second outing and Simpson believes this is the start of something good.

"With several speed horses in the race, the trainer told me that the race could be set up in such a way that the pace come back to me. So I followed his instructions and waited, I would love to ride him in the two remaining races," said Simpson who had a second winner on the card in 7-2 chance HERECOMESFUDGIE in the fifth race (overnight allowance) over 2000 metres.

HERECOMESFUDGIE (made most) completed a quick double for trainer Harry Sital and owners Leo's Stables who had teamed up to win the previous race with down in class SENOR GATO (4-1).

Earlier, this year's 2000 Guineas winner RAMPAGE (2-1) romped the graded stakes supporting feature for the None Such Sprint Trophy over 1200 metres, coming through a furlong out with title-chasing jockey Wesley Henry riding for owner/trainer Richard Azan, to win by 2 3/4 lengths.