Sun | Jul 26, 2026

Triple keeps Ellis on top

Published:Thursday | September 1, 2011 | 12:00 AM
JOVOUN THE MASTER, the second of three winners for leading jockey Shane Ellis at Caymanas Park yesterday, powers home by 61/2 lengths as the 6-5 favourite in the fifth race over 1820 metres, enabling Ellis to widen his lead over Dick Cardenas and Omar Walker in the jockeys' championship. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The intriguing contest for the jockeys' championship continued to hold the attention of racing fans yesterday at Caymanas Park, with the three contenders accounting for six winners on the nine-race programme.

Leading the way was top jockey Shane Ellis with three winners, including 1-4 favourite FLUFFY in the overnight allowance feature at 1200 metres.

Ellis also booted home the Owen Sharpe-trained YESWECAN (2-1) in the second race over the straight, despite a slipped saddle, and 6-5 favourite JOVOUN THE MASTER for trainer Colin Ferguson in the fifth race for maidens over 1820 metres.

He thus pushed his season's tally to 64, two ahead of closest rival Dick Cardenas, who rode two winners, and four clear of champion jockey Omar Walker, who managed only one win aboard the remarkable grey gelding, NASATOL, in the third race over the straight.

Cardenas won aboard 2-5 favourite KOMPRESSOR and 9-5 favourite THE PRIMEMERLINIAN, both for trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, in the first and last races, respectively.

Ellis was happy to come out on top after failing to ride a winner last Saturday.

"It's a really interesting race for this year's championship and I'm hoping that I continue to get live rides to be on top at the end. It's shaping up to be a tough race and it will take a lot of hard work and some luck from the three of us," said Ellis, champion jockey in 2000.

Meanwhile, NASATOL pushed his all-time record to 36 career wins, running on strongly widest of all to catch the Cardenas-ridden favourite ASPASIA close to home.

Later in the afternoon, FLUFFY (always prominent) came three wide into the straight to challenge the leaders ANTIOCH (12-1) and RIVER STYX (68-1), disposing of ANTIOCH and SIR JAADU BABA leaving the furlong pole, to win the day's feature by 13/4 lengths from ANTIOCH in a 10-horse field.

An American 4-y-o filly by Chelsey Cat out of Carol's Littlebit, FLUFFY is trained by reigning champion Wayne DaCosta for his wife, Elizabeth, and co-owner Edmund Thomas.