The Jamaica Star :: Sport :: Make it five for the champion jockey

Jimmie, Star Racing Writer

WEDNESDAY's Pick-9 started out calm enough with Omar Walker booting home STAR Sports' first two bankers, TIME OF MY LIFE and BLUE MARLIN before Shane Ellis followed through with a third, FLAGAMAN in the fourth.

However, three shocking upsetters later took out all Super-6 and Pick-9 bets staked on the day.

GALLAVANTER at 28-1 in the fifth, WITH HONOUR at 20-1 in the seventh and 14-1 shot RIGMAROLE, in the ninth, crushed Super-6 and Pick-9 players, sending carryovers of $1m and $2.84m respectively to tomorrow's 10-race card.

Walker, who rode a cheeky race aboard TIME OF MY LIFE, surviving a stewards' enquiry at the end, is set to dominate tomorrow's programme with a possible five-timer, four of which are included in the Pick-9, which starts at the second race.

The champion jockey looks good aboard CALL OF THE WILD in the first, MICHAEL POWER in the third, TOUCHDOWN in the fifth, LITTLERICHBOY in the sixth and CHADMAN in the 10th.

Similar to Wednesday, punters should nail their bankers early but be careful further down the card. Walker should give Pick-9 players a flying start with Neive Graham's MICHAEL POWER, who was outsped at 1200 metres when slipping down in class on April 12 behind runaway winner MOST WANTED but will be quite at home going a mile among $180,000 claimers in the third.

Interrupt the Walker show

Trevor Simpson should interrupt the Omar Walker show in the fourth, the first Super-6 race, by scoring a win with Philip Feanny's American-bred four-year-old filly, PURE SILK, who has been zipping around at exercise, posting bullet works whenever she graces the track in the mornings.

TOUCHDOWN and LITTLERICHBOY should move Walker's tally to four wins in six races. The hot rider has been summoned to partner TOUCHDOWN at 1700 metres in the absence of suspended Dane Nelson, who won aboard the six-year-old mare on April 19.

LITTLERICHBOY should outstay his 10 rivals in the sixth or maidens at 1820 metres after placing among better company in his seven starts.

CHADMAN is set to round off a five-timer for Walker in the 10th at 1820 metres. Reporting down in class from Open Allowance last time out, the six-year-old American finished third behind the speedy SUPER DAVE at 1200 metres and should outclass rivals at the longer distance over which he is fully effective, beaten by IL CAIMANO and HOOKEDONJAZZ last August.

OLE KING COLE in the ninth at 1300 metres is also another banker for Super-6 and Pick-9 players. Trainer Dennis Lee hardly misses when he returns horses to the level from which he had claimed them. He also knows OLE KING COLE pretty well and should tick off a win with the five-year-old horse.