Dawkins earns first jockeys’ title with 103 winners

DANE DAWKINS yesterday ended Anthony Thomas’ two-year reign atop Caymanas Park’s jockeys’ standings, closing the season with two thrilling finishes and a textbook ride aboard MAHOGANY in the $4 million Ian Levy Cup at eight and a half furlongs.

Dawkins’ three-timer pushed him to 103 wins and his first riders’ title, five clear of Thomas, who rode two winners on the 10-race card – ZABRATONE and I REALISE – to end the year on 98 after securing titles in 2018, 2020 and 2021.

Thomas, who famously dead-heated with Dane Nelson for the 2021 title while out of the saddle with a stomach bug, to which his rival responded by laying down arms with an ‘injury’, fell two short of a historic mark – two jockeys reaching 100 wins in a season.

Dawkins, as he has proven all year, partnering the country’s top three-year-old, ATOMICA, and champion middle-distance horse, MAHOGANY, was brilliant in the saddle, taking advantage of Thomas parting ways with the high-powered barn of new champion trainer Jason DaCosta.

Whereas the winners dried up for Thomas in the last two months of the season, Dawkins flourished as a freelancer, picking up winners from Patrick Lynch, Gary Subratie, Ian Parsard, Anthony Nunes and, recently, DaCosta, rubbing salt into his rival’s wounds.

After producing 4-5 favourite JNR JONES with a sweeping last-furlong run to rush past CRUSHING POWER in the second event, Dawkins was perfect astride MAHOGANY in the Ian Levy, ignoring I’VE GOT MAGIC’s overtures on the lead before pouncing at the home turn.

With stablemate JORDON REIGN’S ranging on his outside and I’VE GOT MAGIC attempting a rally, Dawkins kept his cool before unleashing MAHOGANY a furlong and a half out. The now six-year-old gelding opened up to win by five lengths, stopping the clock in 1:44.1, avenging his fourth-place Mouttet Mile finish behind EXCESSIVE FORCE, who lost second in a driving finish to JORDON REIGN’S.

With the title tucked away after MAHOGANY’s win in the eighth, Dawkins watched Thomas complete his double aboard I REALISE in the ninth before closing the season with a storming finish astride SCOOBY, going five and a half furlongs, nabbing UNRULY DUDE stealing home with Robert Halledeen.

Michael Marlowe emerged the day’s top trainer with two wins, JNR JONES and recent claim, RAS EMANUEL, who made all with Omar Walker at five furlongs straight in the fourth.

Racing continues on Monday with the New Year’s Day meet moved from Sunday to mark the traditional public holiday.