Nelson closes gap with four-timer

DANE Nelson yesterday moved within a hair’s breadth of Anthony Thomas, booting home a four-timer, reducing his rival’s lead to one atop the jockeys’ standings, with three meets to close the season.

Thomas had no answer to Nelson’s onslaught, which he gift-wrapped with 15-1 outsider, AS YOU WISH, who won the ninth event in a driving finish ahead of stubborn LAVA BOY.

Nelson’s charge is being fuelled by champion trainer Anthony Nunes, who widened his stakes lead over Wayne DaCosta, saddling three winners on the 11-race card, including CHANDRA’S LAW and ALIMONY, winners of the divided Starters’ Trophy for two-year-olds.

The 2012-14 champion rider narrowly missed a five-timer, losing the sixth astride PRINCESS LAUREN, beaten in a stretch battle by 9-1 chance, RAW LIQUID, who won the seven-furlong event by a half-length with apprentice Roger Hewitt.

After opening his four-timer aboard BLACK ROYALTY for trainer Richard Todd in the second, Nelson made all with CHANDRA’S LAW for Nunes in division one of the four-furlong straight Starters Trophy.

Nelson returned in the fifth event to tick off recent 14-length winner, MIRABILIS, as his third strike of the day before using outsider AS YOU WISH, to log his 79th winner, getting first run on leader LAVA BOY coming off the home turn at nine furlongs and 25 yards in the ninth.

Omar Walker and apprentice Oshane Nugent each won a race for Nunes, as they recorded two-timers on the card.

Walker won division two of the Starters’ Trophy, going all the way with 3-5 favourite, ALIMONY, and Nugent closed Nunes’ three-timer aboard LET HIM FLY, taking charge of the eighth at nine furlongs and 25 yards to make every post a winning one at odds of 5-2.

Walker rallied FLOWERS THIRTY inside the last furlong to win the 10th among $250,000 claimers at odds of 2-1.

CLEAR FOURTH

Nugent, who started the day locked on 30 wins with Dick Cardenas in the riders’ standings, moved to a clear fourth after closing the programme with a well-handled ride astride Ian Parsard’s FATHER PATRICK.

Breaking his mount smartly in the 14-horse field, Nugent made all with FATHER PATRICK in the seven-furlong event, though under sustained pressure from Walker aboard United States-bred EROY, the 3-2 favourite.

Racing continues at Caymamas Park on Wednesday before the season closes with back-to-back meets, Boxing Day and Sunday.