Milestone wins feature; Francis closes in
IT looks a done deal for title-chasing jockey Paul Francis, who rode two winners at Caymanas Park yesterday to come within two of joining champion and leading rider Omar Walker at the top of the jockeys’ standing with 98 wins.
By virtue of his successes from nine rides on the 11-race card, the title-chasing reinsman, now on 96 wins, has a simple task of winning another three races over the remaining three racedays to become champion jockey for 2009 as Walker will not to return to the saddle until some time in the New Year.
Francis, who started the day on 94 wins, opened the programme in fine style aboard the Everal Francis-trained Royal Majesty in the $528,000 Paul Newman Memorial Cup secondary feature and was looking forward to have things rapped up from his remaining rides.
He, however, had to wait until the penultimate event and principal feature to draw nearer his championship ambitions.
Hungry for victory, Francis put Milestone to the front soon after breaking from gate four and continued to dictate turns from in front tracked by the 8-5 favourite Skipping Sue.
Francis then dismissed the challenge of Skipping Sue, who drifted wide after turning for home, to go on to win the $715,000 Titania Trophy as he set his sights on his first championship success.
Trained by Percival Hussey and neglected in the betting at odds of 7-1, Milestone, under top weight of 55.5kg, ran 1,100 metres in 1:07.2 to register her second win in her last three starts in the 14-horse field for Restricted Allowance 11 native-bred three-year-old and upward fillies and mares (NW2).
Runnin On Empty, who closed steadily after turning up the lane, ridden by Trevor Simpson, was second at odds of 5-2, with Cashley, the mount of Devon A Thomas, finishing third as a 7-2 betting option.
Esto Perpetua, ridden by top apprentice Doushane Gordon, closed the frame as a 11-1 chance.
Bred and owned by Ruth Hussey, Milestone, a three-year-old dark bay filly by Vanadium out of Quiet Giant (Irish Quest), who started her racing career as a three-year-old, was winning for the second time from six career starts and earned $390,400 as the winner’s share to move earnings to $1,097,050 lifetime.