Garrincha by a short head

GARRINCHA flew home along the rail with Aaron Chatrie inside the last quarter-furlong to nail KJ EXPRESS stealing home, denying the title-chasing combination of trainer Anthony Nunes and jockey Dick Cardenas a second winner on yesterday's 10-race card.

Returning off a six-month layup, run-on sprinter GARRINCHA benefited from a fast pace, splits of 23.1 and 46.3, which 3-1 chance KJ EXPRESS took over and was making his way home when caught at the wire in the five-and-a-half furlong event.

KJ EXPRESS's narrow loss, a stinging short head, shackled Cardenas and Nunes to one winner on the 10-race card after the pair landed the third with MR PANTHEON, igniting their respective battles with champion trainer Wayne DaCosta and leading rider Anthony Thomas.

DaCosta and Thomas responded in the seventh event with PURE HEART but endured a long stewards' enquiry, which resulted in the disqualification of the grey gelding, handing the ascendancy back to Nunes and Cardenas, who started the day $1.9m and 10 behind their respective rivals.

Whereas PURE HEART's disqualification cost DaCosta ground in his stakes race with Nunes, Thomas got redemption in the closing event, scoring an easy victory aboard 5-2 chance UNCLE WAL, making it as you were, 10 winners ahead of Cardenas.

NELSON'S TELLING RETURN

Meanwhile, three-time champion jockey Dane Nelson made a telling return to Caymanas Park, on winter break from Northlands Park in Canada, booting home two winners - 8-1 outsider PHENOM in the fifth and 7-5 favourite GOLDEN EMPEROR in the eighth.

Steven Todd was the day's top trainer with two winners - DR BANNER in the second and PHENOM, who held off a late charge from DUKE with Cardenas aboard to win by a half-length.

Racing continues at Caymanas Park on Saturday with the Grade 1 10-furlong Superstakes as the feature, supported by the six-furlong Caribbean Sprint.