Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
FORMER CHAMPION jockey Shane Ellis highlighted yesterday's Lotto Combo race meet at Caymanas Park with four winners to move up to joint sixth in the jockeys' standings with 36.
The second generation jockey, son of three-time champion Winston 'Dozer' Ellis, won aboard the 7-1 chance UNTOUCHABLE for Barbadian owner Elias Haloute and trainer Anthony Nunes in the second race, BALLAFIRE (5-2) in the sixth, chance ride FLYWITHME (7-2) in the seventh for the Lotto Dream Challenge Trophy for native bred maiden two-year-olds (yearling sales series No.2) and 3-2 favourite JACK EM UP in the eighth.
Ellis, who rode with fair success at Woodbine racetrack in Canada earlier this year before coming home to ride in late summer, is contracted to ride horses owned by Haloute not only in Jamaica, but those in major races in Barbados and Trinidad as well.
Ellis replaced leading jockey Trevor Simpson aboard the Wayne DaCosta-trained FLYWITHME (who ran on strongly) after the three-time champion came down with the flu. As a result, Simpson did not ride after the fifth race.
Another jockey who benefited from a chance ride was Larris Allen, who booted home the 13-1 outsider SCOTCHONTHEROCKS in the day's feature, the G.A. 'Sarge' Bucknor Memorial Cup (overnight allowance) over the straight five course.
The 3-y-o bay colt, who is owned by Cirdec and trained by in-form Noel Ennevor, raced alone on the far side in the six-horse field as the evens favourite COURT CASE tried to make all in mid-track.
However, under some vigorous left-hand whipping from Allen (replacing top apprentice Paul Francis), SCOTCHONTHEROCKS responded nicely to catch and beat COURT CASE by half a length close home.
"I wasn't concerned about the No. 1 draw as the field was small and he had been working brilliantly coming into the race", said Ennevor.
"In fact, I told Allen to keep him on that side of the track and he followed my instructions perfectly".
On a tough day for form players, SCOTCHONTHEROCKS was one of several outsiders to score. Chief among the others was BRINGMEJOY at 54-1 in the sixth race over the circular nine course, the five-year-old mare just holding off the 99-1 outsider VIENTO.
BRINGMEJOY was one of two winners for jockey Leo 'Twitch' Miller on the card.
