JOCKEYS PAUL 'Country' Francis and Richie Mitchell shared the honours at Caymanas Park yesterday with three winners each, Francis regaining the early lead from champion jockey Omar Walker in the process.
Francis, a former two-time champion apprentice, opened his account in the second race for maiden four-year-olds and up with a narrow win aboard 4-5 favourite LIGHTNING McQUEEN but had to await the last two races on the 12-race programme to complete the three-timer.
He won the penultimate race for open allowance sprinters aboard 10-1 chance ROMEZ for veteran trainer Noel Ennevor, in a driving finish from the luckless MINISTEROFJUSTICE, then capped a fine day with an easy win on the Gresford Smith-trained SIR VALIANT (3-1) in the closing race over 1400 metres for native-bred three-year-olds.
As a result of his latest windfall, Francis has pushed his tally to 11 this season, one ahead of Walker, who rode one winner in YAMASHITA'S GOLD (5-2) in the opening race over 1300 metres for $390,000 - $340,000 claimers.
Mitchell, meanwhile, won aboard 7-5 favourite MARKET BRIDLE in the sixth race for $180,000 claimers, BEAUTIFUL SPACE at 9-2 in Division Two of the Eight Thirty Sprint over the straight five course for native-bred maiden three-year-old fillies and KEELER at 10-1 for trainer Lazel Khwalsingh in the 10th over 1300 metres, race number one the CTL Claiming Series.
For Mitchell, this three-timer could not have come at a better time, as he returned to the saddle only the previous Saturday after being sidelined for almost two months with a broken collarbone.
Sustained injury in fall
He sustained the injury in a fall from SHE'S ROAMIN, shortly after she had passed the winning post in front last November.
BEAUTIFUL SPACE, who is trained by Fredrick Watson for popular owner Patrick Smellie, made all to hold the 1-2 favourite BULLET LINE at bay by 1 1/4 lengths in a field of eight. Smellie said the win was expected as the filly had not been having the best of luck in running.
"We decided to run her in the cheek pieces for the first time and she duly turned the tables on Bullet Line who had her just behind when they last met on Boxing Day. But I knew the favourite would not beat her today," Smellie said.
Division One of the Eight Thirty Sprint was also won in post-to-post fashion by 2-1 chance C'EST MOI, ridden by Dane Nelson for champion owner Elias Haloute and trainer Anthony Nunes.
The bay filly by Legal Process out of Lady Agra won by all of six-and-a-half lengths from the 2-5 favourite BELLA.
On what was a tough day for form players, the upsets were provided by FIRELINK at 50-1 with André Martin aboard in the ninth race over 1100 metres as well as ROMEZ, KEELER and Peter McMaster's STREET SMART ANNIE at 7-1.