Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

PROMISING APPRENTICE Jason Simpson, who rode beaten favourite MELINDAGATA in the restricted allowance feature for the Howard Phillipps Memorial Cup at Caymanas Park, was apparently under the weather following the tragic death of his sister in a motor vehicle accident in Portmore.

His sister, Tamara Watson, 25, died from injuries received when the car she was driving ran off the road and overturned at about 3:00 a.m. yesterday.

As a result of the tragedy, Jason was apparently not focused on his riding and reports indicate he was advised by his apprentice master, trainer Vin Edwards, to take the day off.

Despite being in mourning, Jason decided to honour his rides. However, he confessed that the tragedy shook him up so badly that he was not at his best aboard his six declared rides.

In shock

"I really feel sad about my sister as we were pretty close. Things have been going so well for me in the saddle this season only to be hit with the bad news. It will take me some time to get over the shock of losing her so unexpectedly," said Simpson who has so far ridden six winners this season.

Indeed, after finishing second aboard RUCKUS in the seventh race won by highly-fancied WINNING MESSAGE (9-5) yesterday, his mount was disqualified and placed last for causing interference to SIMPLY AWESOME at the half mile. RUCKUS hung badly right approaching the half mile and with the 11-year-old gelding proving a handful for the apprentice, came down sharply on SIMPLY AWESOME who was racing on the rails when the interference occurred. In the feature race, 3-5 favourite MELINDAGATA was not the best away in the six-strong field as the 3-1 winner FREE FALL tried to make all with apprentice Harriston Lewis aboard.

Forced wide

To make matters worse, MELIN-DAGATA was forced to come wide into the straight as FREE FALL gave way to the 6-1 chance MAGDALA, In the end. MELINDAGATA failed to carry through the effort and had to settle for third while FREE FALL rallied strongly on the inside to regain the lead from the Shane Ellis-ridden MAGDALA midway through the last furlong, going on to win by a length. A four-year-old chestnut gelding by Law Of The Sea out of Speed Freak, FREE FALL, is owned by Superchard Singh and trained by Robert Darby Sr.

Meanwhile, one of the country's top trainers, Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, finally got off the mark this season when his budding classic aspirant, IL CAIMANO, upstaged the howling favourite MARK TO MARKET in the first race over 1400 metres. MARK TO MARKET led comfortably into the straight, but proved no match for IL CAIMANO in the last furlong. The 3-y-o colt was the first winner for in-form jockey Paul 'Country' Francis since replacing Brian Harding as the stable jockey three weeks ago.

Jockey Wesley Henry highlighted the 10-race programme with three winners, while trainer Welsh Soutar saddled two.