Francis rebounds with four-timer
JOCKEY Paul Francis returned from a four-day suspension to highlight the 10-race card at Caymanas Park yesterday with a four-timer and move his tally to 10 — four behind champion jockey Omar Walker, who leads with 14 wins.
Francis’ winners included Willingston in the second race for trainer Noel Ennevor, Medical Report for owner/trainer Cleveland Mitchell (who was winning his first race since becoming a licensed trainer) in the second race, Nasatol for trainer Robert Darby Snr in the seventh and the 7-1 shot Cash Pat in the 10th a closing event.
Also sharing riding laurels with Francis was the top claiming apprentice for the season, Aaron Chatrie, who rode two winners to move his tally to 11 wins and now shares second spot with Shane Ellis.
His winners were Princess Shannon in the fourth race for trainer Gary Subratie and The Gov in the ninth for trainer Spencer Chung.
Meanwhile, Rigged To Win came running on to beat the 17-1 bet Lucky Eddie to win the $528,000 James B Dawes Memorial Trophy feature by a neck.
Sent off as the 9-5 second favourite and ridden by Dick Cardenas, Rigged To Win ran 1,300 metres in 1:22.1 to open his winning account for the season in the field of six for $450,000 – $400,000 claimers three-year-olds and upward.
Not one to win many of her races, Rigged To Win, now conditioned by Patrick Chang, was much earlier in the pace than usual and stayed took closer to the pace to move into second spot after the long-time leader Girlofmydreams faltered at the quarter bend, which handed the stalking Lucky Eddie the lead entering the final 400 metres home run.
As the pace increased in the rush for the wire and Rigged To Win loomed large along the rails, Lucky Eddie, under Javour Simpson, began to drift out under a sustained left hand whipping, which left Rigged To Win to chart a straight course.
Thinking that it was all over approaching the wire, Cardenas seemed to relax a bit, but had to whip Rigged To Win back into action to just stave off a late charge from Lucky Eddie to claim the narrow win.
Rajput, a 7-1 bet, who was always in contention but lacked the legs of the first two when the pace increased, stayed on for third money, partnered by apprentice Doushane Gordon, with the 4-5 favourite Ming Lei closing the frame with Richard Mitchell up after failing to justify her favouritism.
Owned by Arscott Farms, Rigged To Win, a six-year-old bay mare by Outrigger out of Crusader’s Shield (Crusader’s Sword), was bred by Phillip Lui.
It was the mare’s sixth win from 63 career starts and she earned $288,300 as the winner’s share for earnings of $3,887,850 lifetime.