Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Another Ranking, the first of four winners for jockey Trevor 'Slicer' Simpson, is pushed out to hold Stead Gold at bay to win the sixth race over 1200 metres in a driving finish at Caymanas Park on Saturday. Another Ranking was the 8-5 favourite in a field of 12. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
The Pick-9 eluded punters for the second consecutive raceday at Caymanas Park on Saturday and the carryover to tomorrow's meet stands at $1.12 million.
There is also a Hi-five carryover of $251,859.40, but the Super-6 was caught by 35 punters, each receiving $29,867.50.
On a day when title-chasing jockey Trevor 'Slicer' Simpson rode four consecutive winners in the Pick-9 races, several punters I know were sitting pretty with the first eight winners, but all failed to spot SHIVOYNE who won the closing race at odds of 8-1.
All of them had the odds-on favourite FREE FALL, some as a banker.
Following the narrow victory of the even-money favourite ROYAL RUN over JUST SOME THOUGHTS in the penultimate race, one brave punter declared that the Pick-9 was history as FREE FALL was his idea of a racing certainty in the nightpan.
True, the promising three-year-old gelding won impressively enough on his recent debut over 1100 metres, clocking a fast time (1:06.4) to suggest a repeat. However, that was achieved in maiden company and back in action in a much stronger field (non-winners of two) and now asked to go a furlong longer, the Law Of The Sea - Speed Freak offspring flattened out after looking the likely winner, leaving the furlong pole to finish a close fourth.
Trained by Burt Tomlinson, SHIVOYNE, who swerved at the start and lost ground (outpaced) before recovering, provided smart apprentice Carlton Malcolm with his 11th winner and as such he is no longer eligible to utilise his full 4.0kg (or 10lb) claiming allowance, but 3.0kg. He will start claiming 2.0kg on reaching 40 winners.
The rule states that an apprentice shall claim 3.0kg after riding 10 winners. However, in Malcolm's case, among his first 10 was SAMMY MY GIRL in an apprentice race and that didn't count. SHIVOYNE was his 11th winner, hence the benchmark.
