Nelson

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

JOCKEY DANE Nelson maintained his splendid riding form at Caymanas Park yesterday with three winners on the Jamaica Jockeys' Guild 11-race programme to assume the lead in the championship race.

His winners were 2-5 favourite BALLROOM DANCER for trainer Richie Todd in the second race for maiden three-year-old fillies, THE GUARDIAN at 9-5 the third race over the straight five course for three-year-olds and the evens favourite CLOCK WORK, who made all convincingly in the fifth race over 1400 metres for open allowance horses.

CLOCK WORK and THE GUARDIAN are trained by his guv'nor, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, who continues to hold a comfortable lead in the trainers' standings.

Nelson has now ridden nine winners in the past three races days, having notched a four-timer on Easter Monday and a double the previous Saturday.

Windfall

Thanks to his latest windfall, the 23-year-old jockey has taken over the lead in the standings with 34 winners, one ahead of Shane Ellis, who managed only one winner in 9-5 chance SAMBA DANCER in the day's feature for the Jamaica Jockeys' Guild Trophy over 1400 metres.

Nelson is two ahead of reigning champion Omar Walker, who sat out the final day of a three-day suspension and will resume riding at next Saturday's big 1000 and 2000 Guineas meet.

SAMBA DANCER, who was outpaced for most of the way, ran on strongly from below the distance to catch long-time leader TOKEN (12-1), under veteran jockey David 'Scorcher' McKenzie, in the last 100 metres, winning by three-quarter length.

The winner, a five-year-old gelding by Latin Charm out of Mekamara, is owned and trained by Dale Murphy.

Later in the afternoon, ALFALLO, running at odds of 3-1 with former champion Trevor Simpson riding for owner/trainer Lee Clarke, came through in the last quarter to win the Al Gopie Memorial Cup 4-y-o maiden condition race over the straight five course by 3 1/4 lengths.

Meanwhile, 4-5 favourite RISING MOON, ridden by 26-year-old Keloni Richards - who is one of the outriders at Caymanas Park, made all to win the CTL Exercise Riders' Race over 800 metres straight, while Phillip Clunis, at 10-1, also went wire to wire in the Jockeys' Quick Dash contested by 11 jockeys, including Omar Walker who finished fourth.