Spotlight on Nelson, Walker

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Although the Clifford Stewart Memorial Cup over 1200 metres is today's feature at Caymanas Park, the focus will be on the 2009 jockeys' championship which will see reigning champion Omar Walker and Dane Nelson starting the day as joint leaders with 43 winners each.

Thanks to a fine triple comprising MY SPACE, CASHLEY and CENTANNI on Saturday, Nelson, who had been chipping away at Walker's lead in recent weeks, finally caught up with the two-time champion jockey when CENTANNI won the ninth race at odds of 2-1.

It was widely believed that Nelson would have assumed the lead aboard odds-on favourite ALSAFRA in the penultimate race for the Chairman's Trophy but the reigning 'Horse of the Year' was beaten by old rival SHANGHAI PASS in the grade one feature, leaving things locked up at the top.

Today, both jockeys have secured some live rides on the 10-race programme and the battle for the ascendancy should be intense.

Walker has eight rides, including strong fancies SKITTLE QUEEN in the first, BURNING CIELO in the third, the unbeaten RACING MACHINE in the ninth and OK BABY in the nightpan, race No. 2 in the Track Price 'Dig Out Handicap' over the straight five course.

Likely winners

Nelson, on the other hand, has secured six rides, including likely winners MEDICAL ACCOUNT in the second race for the Clifford Stewart Memorial Cup, LIGHT MY FIRE in the fifth and GOOD CITIZEN in the ninth. Advantage Walker.

Meanwhile, seven starters have been declared for the $220,000-$190,000 claiming race for the Clifford Stewart Memorial Cup including the recent winner MEDICAL ACCOUNT, who will not find the distance too sharp; KEELER, CASH PAT, GOOD HOPE and recent course winner SNOW PROSPECT.

MEDICAL ACCOUNT, with a determined Nelson again at the helm, scored a 16-1 upset in the mud over 1500 metres for his new connections on April 29 and is right on top of his game. He, along with Walker's mount SNOW PROSPECT and the consistent KEELER, are coming to run. However, none of the three can boast the back class of GOOD HOPE, who steps down from a $360,000 claiming tag to $220,000 to vie for this trophy.

GOOD HOPE, who up to February 7 was conditioned by champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, was thrown in for $180,000 that day and breezed home by 8-1/2 lengths over the distance in a time of 1:15.4 under top weight of 57.0kg. Now back among his peers, the four-year-old gelding from the stables of Steadman Curtis is tipped to resume winning ways.

Other firm fancies on the card are SKITTLE QUEEN in the first race, BURNING CIELO in the second, LIGHT MY FIRE in the fifth, RIFLEMAN in the seventh and the unbeaten RACING MACHINE (Walker up) over recent fast-time winner GOOD CITIZEN (Nelson up) over the round five course, a race worth going miles to see.