Shane Ellis notches 700th win

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Leading jockey Shane Ellis notched his 700th career win at Caymanas Park yesterday when evens favourite HARD TIMES romped the opening race over 1400 metres for maiden four-year-olds and up, this for trainer Welsh Soutar.

The second-generation jockey, son of three-time '60s champion Winston 'Nero' Ellis, completed a double when the three-year-old debutant MAAS LAURIE made all in the sixth race for trainer Anthony Nunes as the 1-9 favourite.

A product of the Jockeys' School, Ellis, who is popularly called 'Canter Man', started riding in April 1996 and notched his first winner, AWARD THE STAR, later that month.

Ellis was to stamp himself as a big-race jockey as the years progressed, winning the Derby aboard the filly AWESOME POWER in 2001, The Oaks with AWESOME POWER, LATONIA (2004) and SAINT CECELIA (2009), not to mention the 1000 Guineas with RAY OF HOPE (2000), LATONIA (2004) and SAINT CECELIA (2009) and not least, the 2003 Superstakes aboard PITTACUS.

Jockey elated

Quiet, unassuming and accommodating, the well-liked jockey said he was happy to attain yet another milestone in a career spanning 15 years, surpassing his father who rode over 500 winners.

"I hope I'll be around to ride my 1,000th winner," quipped Ellis, who has ridden with some success at Canada's premier racetrack, Woodbine, in Toronto, as well.

"Looking back, I have managed to stay injury free and can't complain. Right now things are really looking up for me, I'm on top of the jockeys' standings and, all being well, the year is shaping up to be a good one for me," he added.

Meanwhile, the classy American three-year-old colt MISMYRTLEBOYRICHIE duly made it seven in a row with a workmanlike performance in the 1820-metre race for open allowance horses, even though he did not have things his own way as usual.

Ridden by champion jockey Omar Walker for trainer Tony Kirlew, 'MISMYRTLEBOY' raced prominently in third as the noted front-runner LITTLE WASP (10-1), under Georgina Sergeon, enjoyed a clear lead over BELOW THE WAIST in the seven-strong field.

He started his winning run approaching the half-mile and joined LITTLE WASP entering the straight. However, LITTLE WASP just would not go away and Walker had to shake up MISMYRTLEBOYRICHIE passing the furlong pole to beat her by two lengths.