David Maxwell has been living out his dream, buying nice horses and getting to ride them himself – but it will peak when he lines up in the Randox Grand National on Ain’t That A Shame.
Like many involved in the sport, the Grand National is seen as the pinnacle to Maxwell but for a man viewed as an old-fashioned Corinthian amateur, it is a summit his family has already scaled, at least in one capacity.
The 1988 Grand National won by Rhyme ‘N’ Reason is one of the more famous ones, given how he almost fell at Becher’s Brook on the first circuit only to work his way back into contention under Brendan Powell.
For the Maxwell family, it was an emotional and stressful day, as the property developer explained: “My main Grand National memory is Rhyme ‘N’ Reason. My mother bred the horse, then my dad trained him for his first bumper wins before he went to England to be trained by David Murray Smith and latterly David Elsworth.
“I remember it like it was yesterday. He was headed in the closing stages by Durham Edition, but he was a bit of an old rogue and as soon as he hit the front, he felt like he’d done enough – and Rhyme ‘N’ Reason was as game as a badger and won by four lengths.
“The entire Maxwell family were screaming their heads off, my mother was nine months pregnant with my now 35-year-old sister. Just 10 minutes after the race, the gynaecologist was sitting next to her!
“He actually broke three bones in his hock when he almost came down at Becher’s and he never raced again but it just goes to show how game he was.”
Maxwell has come close to glory over the famous fences already, and while it was not in the National, his second place on Cat Tiger in the 2022 Foxhunters’ should at least give him some confidence down at the start.
“Cat Tiger pings round there and was second to Latenightpass in the Foxhunters’ – and of course Latenightpass is in the National this year,” said Maxwell.
“He’s not over-big but he’s very game. The Foxhunters’ is actually the only race I’ve been down at the start thinking ‘this might not actually be a good idea’, but then you get called in, do a slap down the shoulder, as much for yourself as the horse, and just get on with it.”
There has been plenty said about Maxwell’s participation in this year’s race but having met all the requirements, and after amateur Sam Waley-Cohen’s win on Noble Yeats two years ago, there is still the fairytale element to the race that no other has.
“Racing for me has been a bit of a middle-aged man obsession. I started mucking around with point-to-pointers in my late 20s, then I got a few more and got a few more and just kept going. You keep finding the next iteration of the drug,” said Maxwell.
“It starts with what turns out to be slow three-mile chasers for pointing, then someone shows you a nice hunter chaser, then it’s novice hurdlers, so there’s another stage of everything, like being allowed to ride against pros. I suppose the ultimate of it all is riding in the National.
“I don’t know if there’s anything in the theory of amateurs having a good record in it because some liken it to hunting. My theory is, if you are in the National, you can win it, all the cards are thrown in the air.”
Every year there are meetings to see what can be done to make the race safer and following last year’s disruption, racing was forced into defensive mode more than it ever has in the past, but the 45-year-old believes the right steps have been taken.
“I wouldn’t say anything can happen anymore, as they’ve made it safer to navigate with the fences and they’ve made it more and more like a really good Saturday handicap,” said Maxwell.
“With that, I mean Corach Rambler is 4-1 favourite and he never looks like not winning, it’s less and less like Foinavon could win this – but you do still get rank outsiders winning.
“This year, there are three amateurs in the race, so there’s around a nine per cent chance of an amateur winning it.
“The race has changed, you’ve got to have a touch of class now. But the world changes all the time.
“In racing, we are fond of knocking ourselves but racing has done a really good job here of making it safer. Every year, a lot of thought goes into it and this year it is no exception, with the field reduced to 34 and perhaps the best idea is making the run to the first fence shorter.
“Nobody wants to see fallers, we’re all animal lovers, so these changes make it a bit safer, there’s no point us continuing with our head in the sand.
“If we proceed thinking the world is the same as it was before – it’s not. It’s right that the Jockey Club and the BHA have made these changes to make the race safer.
“If you have a horse who is a safe conveyance and stays four miles, the likelihood is these days that you will get round – and then you get the situation where the best handicapped horse wins.”
Maxwell’s mount, trained in Ireland by Henry de Bromhead, who has won the National with Minella Times, has already won one of Ireland’s most competitive races, the Thyestes Chase.
“He’s a nice horse, I went and schooled him last week and he’s a lovely horse. He must have a reasonable chance but I’m actually looking forward to going hunter chasing with him the year after next when he’s 12,” said Maxwell.
“The Thyestes is always a good race and the fact that he didn’t go to Cheltenham must stand him in good stead too.
“It’s clearly going to be soft ground and obviously we all hope it doesn’t rain too much, but what we really would want is for it to stop raining about three days before the race, as then the ground would start becoming really hard work. If it’s just wet and sloppy, then it’s much easier to get through it.”
Guyana-based Olympic Kremlin to add Caribbean flavour to lucrative Mouttet Mile Invitational at Caymanas Park
As the excitement for the upcoming Mouttet Mile Invitational continues to build, another international contender joins the fray. Guyanese-based Olympic Kremlin is confirmed to participate in the Caribbean's richest horse race at Caymanas Park on December 7.
Olympic Kremlin, a seven-year-old chestnut horse, boasts an impressive pedigree and racing record. Bred in Brazil, he is sired by Japanese stallion Agnes Gold out of Sweet Lemonade by Lemon Drop Kid. The horse's career highlights include five victories in Brazil, earning close to US$90,000, and two wins from two starts in Guyana, including the prestigious Guyana Cup (August 22) and the President's Cup over a mile (September 22).
While in Jamaica, Olympic Kremlin will be trained by Alford Brown, who expressed confidence about his prospects.
"His preparation will be done throughout the entire month of November heading into the race. He has an outstanding chance, and I expect big things from him," Brown said.
Olympic Kremlin is set to arrive in Jamaica at the end of October, following a journey that will take him from Guyana to Miami before reaching the island. This move allows for a full month of local preparation before the big race.
Christopher Wills, VP Operations at Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), operators of Caymanas Park, welcomed the news.
"We're excited to have Olympic Kremlin joining the Mouttet Mile field. His participation further solidifies the race's status as a truly international event. The inclusion of such high-calibre horses from around the Caribbean and beyond is exactly what we envisioned when creating this prestigious race. We look forward to hosting Olympic Kremlin and his connections, and we're excited to see how he performs against our top local talent," he said.
Earlier this year, six prominent overseas-based horses—Sheer Delight, Pack Plays, Barnaby, Legacy Isle, Commandant, and Real Macho—expressed an interest in participating in Caymanas Park’s marquee race day.
The Mouttet Mile Invitational is a Grade One event for three-year-olds and upward going over a mile (1,600m) and in successive years has set the record for the largest purse in the English-speaking Caribbean. The 2024 purse is set at a historic US$250,000.
Last year’s Mouttet Mile was won by Rough Entry, an overseas entrant ridden by Canadian jockey Julien Leparoux. The addition of Olympic Kremlin to the Mouttet Mile field underscores the event's growing international appeal and Caymanas Park’s status as a premier racing destination in the Caribbean.
Trail to the Mile begins as 10 horses enter the prestigious Phillip Feanny Gold Cup
The highly anticipated 51st Running of the Phillip Feanny Gold Cup is set to showcase some of Jamaica's finest 3-year-old fillies as they compete over seven furlongs for a coveted purse of JMD$2.5 million. This Grade 3 event, part of the Jamaican Racing Calendar since 1967, was renamed last year in honour of Philip Feanny, OD, a true icon of Jamaican horse racing, affectionately known as 'The Maestro'.
Feanny, a Jamaica Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductee, holds the record for the most classic wins at Caymanas Park. His illustrious career includes conditioning the most Triple Crown winners and setting a World Record in 1992-93 for the most classic horse races won, with the legendary jockey Winston Griffiths, OD by his side.
his year’s race promises to add to the Gold Cup's rich legacy, which began with KILLOWATT’s win in 1967 and his repeated victories in 1968 and 1970. The track and stakes record of 1:22.4, set by Feanny's own EROS in 1994 and repeated in 1995, still stands, underscoring Feanny's enduring impact on the sport.
With 10 entries confirmed, the competition promises an exciting field as these top-tier fillies vie for glory. Among the contenders are Desert Malibu, Wall Street Trader, Atlantic Convoy, Funcaandun, Is That A Fact, Norblar, Further and Beyond, Intrestntimesahead, Banadura, and Major Danger. They will look to follow in the footsteps of last year's champion, SHE’S MY DESTINY, who came from behind to overtake Mahogany, the 2022 Horse of the Year runner-up.
The Phillip Feanny Gold Cup is part of an electrifying championship season that has already seen impressive victories. Recent winners include LOVISA in the BGLC/TOBA Millionaire Series Race, BRENDA BOY in The Reprieve Trophy, Impressive Force in The RonRon Trophy, and SISTREN TREASURE in The Typewriter Trophy.
As the race season unfolds, the competition among jockeys is equally intense. Raddesh Roman and Tevin Foster are locked in a fierce battle for the champion jockey title, each sitting at 99 wins for the season. Both are on the brink of the 100-win milestone, adding extra excitement as they prepare for the big race day.
As we head down the Trail to the Mile, all eyes are on Caymanas Park and the stellar field of fillies aiming to etch their names into the storied history of the Phillip Feanny Gold Cup. With a legacy built on excellence and passion for horse racing, the 2024 event promises to be yet another thrilling chapter in Jamaican horse racing history.
'Family man' Dane Dawkins targets more success on return to Caymanas Park after productive Canada stint
Jockey Dane Dawkins is brimming with confidence and ready to showcase his improved form at Caymanas Park on Saturday, following a successful stint in Canada that saw him rack up 25 wins.
The former champion rider, known for his tenacity and skill in the saddle, started slowly at the North American track, but he eventually found his rhythm and returned with more victories under his belt than in his previous overseas campaign in 2019.
Dawkins, who competed primarily at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, admitted that the transition was initially challenging. However, his determination to make a mark and improve on his past performances pushed him through the difficult period.
With every race, he adjusted to the nuances of the track and the competition, and by the end of the season there, Dawkins had established himself as a force to be reckoned with. His 25 wins were complemented by 24 second-place finishes and 28 third-place finishes from 169 mounts, amassing an impressive CAD$288,149 (about $33.5 million Jamaican) in earnings.
“It was a tough start because it took a while for me to get comfortable and get to know the horses, but once I got into my groove after my first two months, everything started to click. Winning 25 races this time around was a big deal for me because I only won seven the last time I was there. It shows I’m learning and improving and once I started winning races, the trainers saw my true potential and started giving me more rides,” Dawkins told SportsMax.Tv.
Dawkins’ performances in Canada weren’t just about accumulating wins, the experience also sharpened his skills. With the renewed confidence, he is eager to bring that momentum back to Jamaica, where he now hopes to continue his winning streak at Caymanas Park, as he has secured four rides on Saturday’s card and another six for Sunday.
“I’m excited to be back at Caymanas. Riding in Canada helped me fine-tune my techniques and decision-making, and I want to use that to get more wins here. The goal is to build on what I’ve achieved and show that I’m a better rider than before,” the soft-spoken rider noted.
But Dawkins isn’t just focused on immediate success. The talented jockey has his eyes set on a long-term goal—winning more Classic races to cement his legacy in the sport.
For Dawkins, these prestigious events, such as the Jamaica Derby, the Jamaica Oaks, the 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas, Jamaica Cup, Gold Cup and Mouttet Mile, are the pinnacle achievements for any Jamaican jockey, and he’s determined to consistently etch his name in the annals of the sport’s history.
With the season at Caymanas Park nearing its end, Dawkins return at this point in time will only allow him to challenge for the Gold Cup in October, the Jamaica Cup in November, and the lucrative Mouttet Mile in December.
“I want to consistently win those big races, the Classic races. That’s what every jockey targets in their career. Yes, I’ve won a few already, but you can’t get complacent at any time. You always have to keep pushing and putting in the work to continue getting those rides in the big races to make your mark in the sport,” he shared.
However, success on the track is only part of Dawkins’ motivation. A dedicated family man, he revealed that his greatest ambition is to ensure that his loved ones are well taken care of.
For him, the sacrifices he makes and the risks he takes are all in service of providing a better future for his family.
“At the end of the day, I ride to win and make a name for myself, but my family comes first. Every win, every achievement is for them. I just want to make my family proud and happy, and that’s what drives me to keep pushing myself and that’s what it’s all about,” Dawkins ended.
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