Apprentice Scott gets first three-timer at Caymanas Park

Two-kilo claiming apprentice, Oneil Scott, yesterday rode the first three-timer of his career, three weeks before time runs out on him and his batchmates, whose weight allowances expire on September 26.

Scott, who won astride LAGUNA POINT on Sunday, scored smooth victories astride 2-1 chance ROYAL GIRL in the sixth, followed by a double, MASTER OF HALL (4-5) and LALA DIVA (7-2), in the eighth and ninth races, respectively.

Scott 's three-timer on the second half of the 10-race card moved him to 40 winners in the jockeys' standings, three behind third-place Shane Ellis, who used LUCKY STROKE to chase and overhaul POLLY B in the third race, winning by four and a half lengths at odds of 5-1.

A new batch of apprentices is due to hit the track at the end of September, armed with in-demand four-kilo allowances, attracting the attention of trainers hoping to slip as much weight as possible off their horses.

RELENTLESS CHASE

Meanwhile, Panamanian Dick Cardenas continued his relentless, some claim hopeless, chase of apprentice Anthony Thomas, riding one winner, KILLER BEE, in the Master Blaster Trophy.

Cardenas outrode Thomas 5-1 in back-to-back Saturday-Sunday meets last weekend and further reduced the non-claiming apprentice's lead to 22 atop the standings with 8-5 chance KILLER BEE.

Trainer Gary Subratie opened the card with 2-1 shot FATHER PICKINS and closed his two-timer with smart three-year-old filly, NUCLEAR FLIGHT, who left her tardy gate habits behind to turn the tables on ANOTHER VIGOROUS in the seventh at five furlongs straight.

Champion trainer Wayne DaCosta's first-timer, United States-bred AMERICAN INVADER, scored a smart victory in the second event at five furlongs round, going all the way with Omar Walker, who returned to complete a two-timer in the closing event astride MARY'S GOLD.