Walker heats up title race with five-timer

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Defending four-time champion jockey, Omar Walker, highlighted the fifth annual Seek Back-to-School race day with a fabulous five-timer at Caymanas Park yesterday, closing the gap significantly on arch-rivals Shane Ellis and Dick Cardenas in the championship race.

Among his winners was the talented Canadian five-year-old mare, PRICELESS BEAUTY (5-1), who ran strongly a furlong out to win the $1 million Seek Exercise Book open allowance feature over 1300m ahead of 5-2 chance CASSANOVA BOY in a field of 11.

Walker also won the opening race aboard 1-4 favourite LADY MACBETH for trainer Gary Subratie, followed up aboard stable-companion SARAH BARRACUDA at 4-5 in the fourth, 7-5 favourite LIKKLE BIT for trainer Ian Parsard in the fifth, as well as the Patrick Lynch-trained RIVER GOLD at 2-1 in the eighth.

As a result of this windfall, Walker pushed his season's tally to 59, to be a closer third to leading jockey Shane Ellis (61), who was winless; and Dick Cardenas (60), who twirled a double comprising the appropriately named SEEK GOLD in the third and KISSING AUDREY at 6-1 in the seventh.

Walker's five-timer came on the heels of Ellis', who rode five winners on the previous Saturday, to assume the lead from Cardenas.

With the title race tightening since early this month - as Walker rode four winners a fortnight ago and Cardenas three - the jockeys have provided a real treat for racing fans in what promises to be the closest title race among three riders in years.

Significantly, Walker notched the 500th win of his career, since he started riding as an apprentice in 2006, after graduating from the jockeys' school.

He said: "I am happy to achieve this milestone in only my fifth full season and with my agent Gary Reid working overtime to secure good riders, I think I have a good chance of retaining the championship," said the 28-year-old jockey.

PRICELESS BEAUTY, who raced off the early pace as 99-1 outsider THE GUARDIAN led from CLASSIC BEAU and NIPHAL, is owned by the Houston Stables and trained by Morris Powell who said she will return in mid-September to run against grade one horses over 1500 metres.

Also, yesterday, trainer Subratie confirmed that the impressive American filly, RONRON, has been moved again, this time from the Wayne DaCosta stable to his old stable. She will race under new owners, having been sold.