Never Despair wins at Caymanas Park after 16-month injury absence

Bringing a thoroughbred back ready to win after a short rest is now fairly common, but sending one out successfully after half a year or more away from racing remains a much harder assignment. Peter-John Parsard managed that challenge with Never Despair at Caymanas Park on Sunday, June 7, 2026.

The four-year-old bay colt had not raced for 16 months after suffering an injury serious enough to put his career in doubt. On his return, he made an immediate mark, winning a maiden condition event over four furlongs, or 800 metres, with room to spare.

Ridden by Jemar Jackson, Never Despair left the gates smartly and handled his comeback test well, scoring by a length and a quarter in 49.4. Moonlight Song, partnered by Richie Shakes, was second, while Super Storm and Bebeto Harvey filled out the frame.

For Parsard, the result carried more weight than an ordinary first win. It confirmed that the long rehabilitation, and the owners’ willingness to wait, had been worthwhile.

“He hasn’t raced in about a year and a half,” Parsard revealed. “He was a really talented horse. We had big hopes for him for the Classics last year but unfortunately he got a really bad injury. It took us a lot of time and it took the owners a lot of patience to be able to get over the ailments that he had. Thank God he is fully healthy,” Parsard told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.

Parsard also highlighted Jackson’s role in the colt’s return, noting that the jockey’s contribution began well before race day. “Credit to the jockey, he rode a good race here. But he has been working the horse diligently for about six months. I was very glad to see him able to get the job done on him,” he said.

The trainer said Never Despair was still not at peak fitness, though the colt had enough class and preparation to handle the assignment. “The horse ran beautifully. He was short of work and so we are hoping that he will have a little more scope and we will see what he can turn into. I was fairly confident that he was going to win the race. I knew he was going to be a little short in the end but thankfully he was able to get the job done,” Parsard noted.

Never Despair will now move into the non-winners-of-two ranks. Parsard is not getting carried away with projections, describing him as a condition horse, but expects him to be useful if he remains healthy.

“I mean, he is what he is, he is a condition horse and so I don’t think he has a very high ceiling. But I am sure he will be able to stay sound and win a lot of races,” he stated.