No sweat for Atomica

JAMAICA Cup winner ATOMICA trampled overnight-allowance runners by ten and a half lengths in yesterday's Labour Day Trophy, putting the conditions book to shame, reigniting the debate about graded-stakes winners being allowed to automatically drop class - after going winless for a specific period - regardless of their proven quality.

Guaranteed a start among overnight-allowance company by the conditions book after failing to beat open-allowance level off a four-month break on April 8, ATOMICA, last year's Jamaica Derby winner, was handed the Labour Day Trophy on a platter, which she won without coming out of a canter under Dane Dawkins.

Ironically, after winning last year's Jamaica Derby, ATOMICA, being a classic winner, was ineligible to race among overnight-allowance company, which she proved correct on her next outing, slamming current grade-one campaigner SHE'S MY DESTINY by six and a half lengths in open allowance.

Yesterday's facile victory, clocking 1:24.4 for seven furlongs, carrying 121lb, was a slap in the face to runner-up PERFECT BREW, who carried topweight 126lb, the exact impost he toted April 29 in another conditions travesty, beaten ten and a half lengths by BLUE VINYL, ATOMICA's nemesis, who denied her a Triple Crown by winning last year's Jamaica St Leger.

Reyan Lewis booted home two winners - SUDDEN FLIGHT and MONEY MISER - to hold a four-win lead over Tevin Foster in the rider's standings, 41-37.

Foster closed the three-meet Labour Day Carnival with ROYAL ASH, finishing strongly on the outside at five and a half furlongs to win a three-way photo ahead of rail-closing BIG GUY IN THESKY and MONEY MARKET, who tried to slip the field of non-winners if two races but ran out of steam close home.

Racing continues on Saturday.