Dawkins, Foster two-timers light up Caymanas Park

DANE DAWKINS, champion jockey 2022, and title-chasing Tevin Foster each rode two-timers to share honours on yesterday’s 10-race card.

Dawkins first rallied 7-2 chance EL RAPIDO to a dead-heat against leading rider Raddesh Roman astride 4-5 favourite COMMANDER Z at five furlongs straight, bringing down the house in a thrilling last-furlong duel.

Closing his two-timer in the nightpan, Dawkins got speedy MONEY MARKET to relax in third place after breaking on the lead in the Gerry Skelton Memorial at five and a half furlongs.

Stalking the pace being set by the Americans, SHE’S A GOD GIFT and 3-5 favourite IMPRESSIVE FORCE rushing around from her wide draw, Dawkins renewed MONEY MARKET’s challenge in a rail bid coming off the home turn.

IMPRESSIVE FORCE, who almost ran Jamaica Derby runner-up off her legs in the Errol ‘Big Sub’ Memorial at a mile, surprisingly failed to quicken when attacking SHE’S A GOD GIFT in mid-track swinging into the straight.

MONEY MARKET, however, found extra along the rail to go by SHE’S A GOD GIFT midway the stretch run, staying on strongly to last home in 1:06.1, holding FREEDOM STREET closing at long odds of 38-1 with Larris Allen.

Meanwhile, Foster’s two-timer, CHINITA ESTRELLA in the fourth and DIGITAL LIGHT in the eighth, pulled him one winner shy of Roman, 120-119, in their battle atop the jockeys’ standings.

CHINITA ESTRELLA turned around her form with blinkers removed. Never in danger of defeat, CHINITA ESTRELLA beat MILITARY LIGHT by seven-and-a-quarter lengths in the three-year-old maiden event at five and a half furlongs.

DIGITAL LIGHT kept close to the leaders at five furlongs straight before closing fast on the stands’ side to overhaul UNCLE NUB by a half-length near the wire.

November’s month of racing closes next Saturday before December opens with Mouttet Mile Day, December 7, the feature Mouttet Mile being run for an overall purse of US$250,000 with six gates reserved for horses not based locally since January 1. The slots have been taken by Americans who are all either in training or awaiting quarantine clearance.