Don Kwesi takes shot at Distinctly Irish redemption

DON KWESI, the most improved local-bred in training, should make amends for his rather odd disqualification in last month’s Poorlittlerichgirl by landing Saturday’s Distinctly Irish Trophy at nine furlongs and 25 yards.

Sent off at even-money in hunt of a fourth win this season in the Poorlittlerichgirl after slugging his way through the lower ranks last year, DON KWESI caught Mark My Word Trophy winner, RUN JULIE RUN, the 2023 Jamaica Derby runner-up, with a knockout punch, beating the five-year-old mare into third but was disqualified after Jaheim Anderson weighed in lighter than he had gone out for the seven-and-a-half furlong event.

Had he kept the Poorlittlerichgirl, DON KWESI would have graduated to grade one, celebrating his second open-allowance win in three months, a remarkable feat for Barrington Bernard’s runner, who was never a contender in last year’s three-year-old classics.

Adapting to almost any trip thrown at him, versatile DON KWESI stunned top-notch sprinters CALIFORNIA CROWN at five and a half furlongs, pulling away to win May’s Harlequin Trophy.

Immediately after his Harlequin Trophy heroics, DON KWESI confirmed just how improved he was by testing a torrid pace at a mile, the SVL 25th Anniversary Trophy won in 1:37.0 by American NAUTICAL STAR – a half-mile in 46.1, stepped up to 1:09.4 for six furlongs, and 1:22.1 for seven – which left favourite SPERNATURAL POWER spitting her bit.

Brave DON KWESI lost second on the wire to late-closing BARNABY, who should be his only threat on Saturday but hasn’t raced in more than two months and clocked an uninspiring 1:15.2 for six furlongs in his prep at exercise.

In contrast, DON KWESI galloped 1:26.2 for seven furlongs last Saturday, 2.1 seconds quicker than RUN JULIE RUN’s 1:28.3 the following morning, suggesting he should still have the grey mare’s measure despite her tumbling to 106lb at the scale.