Ellis stars at Caymanas

Orville Clarke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Title contender Shane Ellis made a decisive move in a bid to become champion jockey for a second time by booting home four winners at Caymanas Park yesterday, to join front-running Dick Cardenas on 82 wins.

Ellis, who marked his 38th birthday with two winners at the previous meet on Heroes Day, came back to win aboard 1-2 favourite MR. SKILL for trainer Lawrence Freemantle in the opening race over the straight, the fleet-footed gelding competing a four-timer in the process.

Ellis, champion jockey in the year 2000, followed up with a front-running ride aboard 3-1 shot KACEY POPS' KID for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta in the third, then in the very next race for maiden two-year-olds, scored an emphatic win aboard the DaCosta-trained debutante HUPOMONE (made all) a 2-5 favourite, before closing out the four-timer aboard 5-1 chance GRAND CABARET, for trainer Spencer Chung in the eighth race over 1500 metres. Ellis seemingly had a glorious chance of notching his second five-timer in recent weeks aboard 4-5 favourite CASSANOVA BOY in the 10th race over 1300 metres for open allowance horses. But this was not to be.

The DaCosta-trained American gelding was collared by 2-1 chance THE GUV (Aaron Chatrie up) midway the last furlong after taking over the lead early in the straight.

With yesterday's windfall, Ellis, who started the day three wins behind Cardenas, has not only drawn level with the Panamanian but has momentum on his side, having ridden six winners in the past two race days.

The standings now read Cardenas and Ellis tied on 82, with reigning champion Omar Walker struggling a bit in third on 74 wins in a bid to win his fifth consecutive title. Cardenas and Walker managed only one win each, Cardenas booting home 7-5 chance COLD GROUND by a neck in a driving finish from the Chatrie-ridden 4-5 favourite NYABINGHI in the feature Royal Dad Trophy (restricted stakes) over 1820 metres.

Never far off the pace as DECADENCE led narrowly from ALEXA'S SONG and NYABINGHI, COLD GROUND assumed the lead 600-metre out and just repelled a late rally from the American filly NYABINGHI, who had beaten him into second over the distance on October 1.

COLD GROUND, who was second to COMMANDING CHIEF in the July 2 Boom St. Leger, was the first of two winners for owner/trainer Patrick 'Wacky' Lynch, who struck in the very next race with 14-1 outsider ROCK STONE under five-time champion Trevor Simpson.

The day's other upset was provided by the Anthony Nunes-trained PASADOBLE at 23-1 with Dane Nelson aboard in the ninth race over 1600 metres.