Kerry Perry stole the show at Caymanas Park yesterday with four winners on the 13-race programme, including odds-on favourite GLORIOUS STAR and 5-2 chance ROYAL CRUISE in the first two races.
He also won aboard 5-2 chance SCORPION in the fifth and 3-2 marginal favourite LITTLE OCHI in the ninth.
The 25-year-old rider, who hails from Waterhouse, just missed a fifth winner when 7-1 chance DANCING FOLLY was beaten a neck by DOCTOR FEEL GOOD in the fourth over the straight five course.
As a result, Perry enjoyed his best day in the saddle since he started riding in April, 1999 - surpassing his first and only three-timer on December 20 last year. Naturally, the youngster was elated with yesterday's windfall and looking down the road, feels it can get better in the months ahead.
"After riding two winners on New Year's Day," he recalls, "everything is falling in place for me this season and I thank the Father."
Continuing, Perry said: "I hope I can avoid injury and continue to enjoy the fruits of my labour, but it has not come easily.
"There was a time when people used to curse me saying I am a no good jockey. But I'm a low profile youth who takes the abuse in stride because I know that one day things will get better. Fitness was the key, so I did a lot of work in the gym and a lot of running before working horses in the mornings.
"With the help of my agent, Solomon Gongasingh, I was able to make the grade. I'm coming from 'F' class but going straight to A1," explained Perry who hails from a large family, including six brothers.
Yesterday's four-timer pushed his season's tally to 12 and joint fifth place in the standings, while his career total is 36. The best is yet to come.
Meanwhile, top apprentice Ramon Parish who graduated from the Jockeys' School in the same batch with Perry, rode a peach of a race aboard 1-1 second favourite QUEEN OF BEL-AIR to win the day's circular nine feature (claiming $250,000 - $230,000) for the Tewfic Ziadie Memorial Cup.
QUEEN OF BEL-AIR, who was never far off the pace, caught up with long-time leader and 4-5 favourite WILD AND RESTLESS approaching the final bend. She led (inside) entering the straight and skittered away to beat the grey WILD AND RESTLESS by 7 1/2 lengths in the field of six.
Owned by Friends Syndicate, QUEEN OF BEL-AIR was the first of two winners for leading trainer Richie Todd who followed up with 4-5 favourite VICTREEBEL (made all) in the seventh race over the straight five course.
This enabled Parish to complete a double on the card, moving to 26 winners for the season. This is four adrift of leading jockey Wesley Henry who sat out the final day of a three-day suspension. Henry will resume riding at the big Track Price Plus Guineas meet next Saturday.
