FIVE-TIMER: Apprentice Omar Walker signals five after booting home his fifth winner of the day, TIMOTHY SCOTT, in the closing race for the Dr. Clifford Grey Memorial Cup over 1300 metres at Caymanas Park on Wednesday. Walker was notching his second five-timer in successive racedays. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

FOR HIS unprecedented riding feat of back-to-back five timers at Caymanas Park over the past two racedays, apprentice Omar Walker is the Performer of the Week.

The 24-year-old claiming apprentice rode five winners for the first time in his short career last Saturday, the windfall comprising GOLD STAR in the first race, OK BABY in the second, UGOTTABELIEVE in the fourth, GALAVANTER in the seventh and FREE FALL at odds of 2-1 in the eighth race for overnight allowance horse to move seven clear of closest rival, the suspended Trevor Simpson in the championship race.

He ended the day a clear leader in the standing with 64 winners.

Record Wednesday

If that wasn't enough, Walker repeated the feat on Wednesday's nine-race programme, the first time that a jockey at Caymanas Park had ridden five winners on successive racedays.

Wednesday's five-timer comprised the Robert Darby Sr.-trained UNCLE D & ME, stable-companion TOCUMEN, FUSILIER, MEDICAL REPORT and 6-5 favourite TIMOTHY SCOTT in the closing race for the Clifford Grey Memorial Cup.

Walker thus pushed his season tally to 69 at the top of the standings - 12 clear of five-time champion Simpson, who returns from suspension today facing an uphill task to get back in the race with just over two months of the season remaining.

Walker, who bids to become the first apprentice since his mentor Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry in 1997 to win the jockey' title in his first full season, has shown tremendous improvement in the saddle in recent months and he attributes this to being "fit and focused".

From early in the season his goal was to win the jockeys' championship and now that it is becoming a reality, he only needs to avoid suspension or injury to realise his dream.

First ride last year

Walker, who hails from Newlands in Portmore, graduated from the Jockeys' School last summer and rode for the first time on July 29 last year. He notched his first winner, SUPER NATURAL, for his apprentice master, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta in the fifth race that day to become the first from his batch to ride a winner and he has never looked back.

In a feature story appearing in The Gleaner on Tuesday, May 15 of this year, it is interesting to recall what Walker said.

"Right now I am getting the rides and am very focused. My aim is to win every race and now that I'm close up in the standings, my intention is to go for the jockeys' title," he said.

"I definitely have a shot at it. It would be nice to win the championship in my first full season in the saddle. If I can hold on to my form and avoid suspensions, it could become a reality". He had then ridden 23 winners.

Walker is a past student of Braeton All-Age School.

- Orville Clarke