-Dennis CokeTrevor Simpson winning his fifth of six winners at Caymanas Park yesterday aboard ALEXIDIMASTER in the Dr. Jim Morrison Memorial Cup feature over 1300 metres. ALEXDIMASTER is owned by Alexander Haber and trained by Wayne DaCosta.
Ainsley Walters, Sport Reporter
LEADING RIDER Trevor Simpson yesterday booted home six winners at Caymanas Park including ALEXDIMASTER in the 1300-metre Dr. Jim Morrison Memorial feature event before closing the 12-race card with a runaway victory astride $100,000 claimer STARFROMTHE EAST.
Simpson's feat moved him to 89 winners for the season, 58 clear of nearest rival Clive Lynch. It was the second time in his 16-year career Simpson had six winners at Caymanas Park, putting him on course for a shot at George HoSang's record of 167 winners.
Unlike last Wednesday when his terrific finish aboard SUB ZERO broke one punter's dream of taking home more than $6.2 million worth of Pick-9 carryover, Simpson made two bettors richer by $4.1 million each yesterday. Both made sure STARFROMTHEEAST was among the horses closing their winning Pick-9 bets.
Simpson almost had seven winners but was denied by a nose astride SIR BANBIHARI in the second race, caught stealing home by Brian Harding aboard POINT GUARD in a stirring stretch duel.
Harding, astride GLOBAL STAR, again got the better of Simpson in the third race, posting the second of his three winners but SEALOFAPPROVAL in the fourth opened the floodgates for Simpson.
After ROYAL RUN was scratched in the fifth, Simpson returned to boot home GENTLE ON LINE in the seventh before landing a hat-trick of winners for trainer Wayne DaCosta, GOINGTOKANSASCITY in the ninth, KNAVE OF HEARTS in the 10th and ALEXDIMASTER in the 11th.
Leading trainer DaCosta's trio tag-teamed even-money favourite AWESOME POWER in the day's feature. KING AL hopped to the front from the gate, making sure the 2001 Derby winning-filly was kept off the lead.
After that, RESTLESS WARRIOR came down from his outside draw to sandwich the filly going past the half-mile.
The DaCosta pair blasted into the straight with AWESOME POWER stalking and set to pounce when their stablemate ran on strongly from behind horses to sweep past inside the last half-furlong, winning by 1 3/4 lengths from Harding-ridden AWESOME POWER.
