Shane Ellis canters to 1,200 winners
DESPITE the outright win by Another Bullet in the $1.15million St Catherine Cup feature, it was former two-time champion jockey Shane Ellis who took the limelight on the 10-race programme at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Ellis, who is popularly known in racing circles as “Canter Man”, rode a milestone achievement of 1,200 career winners, thus becoming the fourth jockey in the history of thoroughbred racing in Jamaica to accomplish this signal feat when he won aboard the Anthony Nunes-trained Supreme Soul in the fifth day’s fifth race. Supreme Soul, a three-year-old chestnut colt by Soul Warrior - Beware Baby, won by 8 1/2 lengths going 7 furlongs (1,400m) in a decent time of 1:26.0.
Winston “Fanna” Griffiths (1,663 wins), Trevor “Slicer” Simpson (1,473 wins), and Charles “Bogle Man” Hussey (1,239 wins) have won more races than Ellis.
Ellis, who had started the day on 1,198 wins, rode Balazo to victory in the second race over the five straight (1,000) course to set the stage for his historic achievement.
“Good. The feeling is really good to have won so many races as 1,200. That is a lot of winners, plenty, plenty winners, and I thank everyone for their support over the years.
“Winning 1,200 is a milestone achievement that I will treasure for the rest of my life. It would be great if I could win 2,000 more on that,” Ellis told the Sunday Observer.
Meanwhile, ridden by Barbadian Simon Husbands, Another Bullet outbattled Nuclear Flight (Dane Dawkins) in the Open Allowance event over 5 1/2 furlongs (1,100m).
Another Vigorous (Dane Nelson) came from far behind to get third place with Another Bullet posting a final time of an impressive 1:04:3.
It was the first win for the visiting Husband. “It is a great feeling to win my first race. I have been working this horse and so I know him good enough and so the confidence level was high”.