There was celebration for the connections of Buster Barnes after the three-year-old brown gelding gave them a cool $40 000 for winning the OK Grand Challenge at Borrowdale Park Racecourse yesterday.
The gelding who opened betting as one of the bookmakers' favourites at 4/1 was a clear winner of the Grade One race, just ahead of Raffles who gave a strong last minute gallop but failed the final test.
Ironically, Raffles had opened as the bookmakers overwhelming favourite when betting opened placing him at 14/10, which was justified after winning the Castle Tankard.
For winning the OK Challenge, Buster Barnes, who was trained by Debra Swanson and ridden by Deryl Daniels, saw his record improve to seven wins and two placings in a career just totalling nine runs.
If his show in the OK Challenge is anything to go by, then Buster Barnes has a lot in the offing at this tender age his record stands at seven wins and two placings in nine events.
Happily, though, for coming second, Raffles who this time was ridden by Corner Offer had something to take home as a reward which came in the form of a massive US$16 000 for his handlers.
Raining Agan was third in the race and took home US$12000, and Ideal View in fourth carried home US$5 600.
Citrusidal was fifth in the race and was paid out US$4000 with the last in the payment line being Action Zone who got US$2400.
- Celebrations as Buster Barnes lift OK Challenge
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Sponsored to the tune of $80 000 up from US$70 000 in 2023, the 1900 metre race attracted 12 runners including Holy Land, Ideal View, Raining Again, and Wantage, who were also in contention in 2023 when Down To Business won the contest
Next comes the Rebublic Cup -- the last of the Big Three at Borrowdale Park Racecourse -- but the Grade 3 race is still to be confirmed following the death of Khamal Khalfan, the chairman of the Republic Cup Trust, which organises the event.
