by Jimmie, tar Racing Writer
Omar Walker - file
THE battle between champion rider Omar Walker and the gaining Dane Nelson continues at Caymanas Park tomorrow afternoon with both riders set to boot home two-timers on the 12-race card.
Nelson ate into Walker's lead atop the jockeys' standings on Saturday, riding a three-timer to his rival's two wins. Nelson moved to 48 wins, whereas Walker edged to 54, holding a six-win lead.
Walker should get the programme under way with a win aboard Wayne DaCosta's GOOD HOPE before completing a double for the champion trainer aboard BULLET TRAIN in the 11th.
Nelson looks good aboard DaCosta's three-year-old debutant, THE PRINCIPAL, in the fourth and CALVIN THE GREAT for Arnold Rambally in the 11th.
Big race
GOOD HOPE ran a big race in the May 24 Governor's Cup, turning for home rubbing shoulders with LEONIDAS and IT IS I before weakening into sixth place.
Returning against lesser horses, GOOD HOPE is expected to outclass his five rivals at 1500 metres although carrying top weight 55.0 kilos.
BULLET TRAIN takes a drop in class from Grade One to compete in the newly-created $600,000 - $550,000 claiming group, taking on horses, who last raced among Overnight or Open Allowance.
Last time out, BULLET TRAIN had no chance against MEDICAL REPORT in the May 24 Lotto Sprint at 1100 metres. However, he was far from disgraced, finishing less than seven lengths behind the best sprinters in the land.
Prior to that event, MEDICAL REPORT had beaten him by four lengths in the Grade One Lady Geeta Trophy on Oaks Day. Down in class and working sweetly in the mornings, BULLET TRAIN won't be caught.
Nicely-bred
Nelson's reply starts at the fourth race over 1000 metres round with THE PRINCIPAL, whose exercise reports suggest he's better than Maidens, clocking 1:01.4 for five furlongs round last Thursday morning.
Facing ordinary rivals, DaCosta's first-timer is nicely-bred and should get off the mark the first time of asking.
CALVIN THE GREAT's second-place run behind Richard Azan's GAMBOA late March advertised his ability and should have him beating three-year-old Maidens at 1820 metres in the 11th.
Rambally's runner finished eight lengths second behind a pretty quick 1500-metre race in which he had return winner LITTLERICHBOY behind in third. GAMBOA was clocked in a fast 1:32.4 and CALVIN THE GREAT should frank the form.
Track Price Plus Pick-6 bettors should round off their bets with Percy Hussey's down-in-class TRIPLE ACCOUNT in the fifth at 1000 metres straight, as well as MAN OF HONOR, who returns among bottom-of-the-barrel claimers at 1100 metres in the sixth.
TRIPLE ACCOUNT gets his pet trip whereas MAN OF HONOR was an impressive winner at $190,000 claiming on March 24.
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