General Salute dazzles at horse racing
Jockey Daniel Abekah won his second race in a row as he rode General Salute to clinch the Vanguard Assurance Challenge Cup at the Accra Turf Club last Saturday.
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The 35-year-old jockey started behind his competitors but accelerated his gallop at about 600 meters to the finishing line to complete within a time of 2 minutes 16 seconds over a distance of 1,600 metres.
The competition, which drew a large crowd, saw Abekah affirm his prominence over Joseph Lamptey and favourite Mr K after defeating them for the second time at the same venue last Saturday.
“I knew I would win because my horse is faster and stronger than all the other horses. I also used experience and my mind to beat them because I wanted to win to encourage the younger ones who are looking up to me”, Abekah said.
For his reward, Abekah took home a trophy, GH¢200 as cash prize and souvenirs from sponsors while first and second runners-up Issaka Gariba (Sly Mongoose) and Joseph Lamptey (Mr K) went home with GH¢150 and GH¢100 respectively, as well as other consolation prizes.
In the maidens’ event, which was run over a distance of 1,000 metres, it was Diplomatic Lady (Issaka Gariba), who also registered her first win at the ATC after increasing her speed in the final meters.
Diplomatic Lady went in front early after only few metres from the start of the race. The trotter then opened a half-length’s lead from Mercedes (Godwin Abbey) and last two week’s winner of the same category, Larro (Davis Ahinakwah) to finish in a time of 1:25 seconds.
Marie Cruz, ridden by Daniel Abekah, continued to dominate the Division 4B contest as she finished tops against Shatter (Illiasu Sulley) and Let Them Say (Charles Ampah) within a time of 1:37 seconds over five furlongs.
