Fast finishing Choo Choo Blue lands Saint Cecelia Cup

UNITED STATES-bred filly CHOO CHOO BLUE closed rapidly inside the last half-furlong to nail ANOTHER BULLET by a nose in sloppy conditions to land Wednesday's 1300-metre Saint Cecelia Cup at Caymanas Park..

Partnered by in-form claiming apprentice Anthony Thomas, Peter McMaster-trained CHOO CHOO BLUE broke sharply and disputed the lead with speedy CRUCIAL APPEAL to the half-mile marker before being relegated by ANOTHER BULLET recovering from a slow start.

Heated battle

CRUCIAL APPEAL and ANOTHER BULLET continued their battle on the lead with CHOO CHOO BLUE charging in third place as the field swung into the straight.

Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas roused ANOTHER BULLET in the straight and got rid of rail-running CRUCIAL APPEAL a furlong-and-a-half out.

However his bid for a fourth winner in the 10-race card was cut in the last stride as Thomas produced CHOO CHOO BLUE with a storming down along the rail, getting home by a nose over ANOTHER BULLET, reminiscent of the filly's victory against the five-year-old horse on August 1.

Cardenas was the leading rider, kicking off his three-timer with 6-1 chance RED DREAD in the fifth before booting home two winners for trainer Anthony Nunes, STRIKINGLY GORGEOUS at 8-1 in the sixth and 9-5 chance SIR LEYLAND HALL in the eighth.

Thomas was among three jockeys who rode two winners. He opened his account with UNCLE FREDDIE at 8-1 in the seventh before returning to drive home CHOO CHOO BLUE in the ninth.

Non-claiming apprentice Dane Dawkins and champion jockey Omar Walker joined Thomas with two winners on a day when punters were left reeling, hit by outsiders in majority of the races.

Racing continues at Caymanas Park on Saturday.