Apprentice Omar Walker shows three of his fingers, indicating that he had ridden the first triple of his career at Caymanas Park yesterday. His three-timer comprised FOX MAN, MARINERO and HOOKEDONJAZZ. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

APPRENTICE OMAR Walker stole the show at Caymanas Park yesterday, thanks to a fabulous three-timer on the nine-race programme.

His winners were FOX MAN at 3-1 for veteran trainer Sydney Watson in the second race, MARINERO at 10-1 for trainer Kingsley Davis in the third and HOOKEDONJAZZ at 5-2 for trainer Heaton Thomas in the sixth. The 24-year-old apprentice had to pull out all the stops in order to win the highly competitive straight five race for high claimers aboard MARINERO, his mount (outpaced a bit) squeezing home by a short head in a bang-up finish involving four horses - MARINERO, EMMVEEPEE, RIGMAROLE and PURE JUSTICE.

Although having to barge his way through when squeezed for space between horses leaving the furlong pole, and was knocked around a bit in the process, MARINERO recovered nicely in the last furlong to catch the leaders RIGMAROLE and PURE JUSTICE within shades of the wire.

The five-year-old gelding from the stables of Kingsley Davis held on by the flare of a nostril from the fast-finishing EMMVEEPEE (9-2) under Trevor Simpson on the outside, with RIGMAROLE only a head away third and PURE JUSTICE another half a length away in fourth.

Stewards' inquiry

There was a Stewards' inquiry into the running of the race, but the result was allowed to stand as they passed the post.

After winning comfortably aboard the grey gelding HOOKED-ONJAZZ, the subject of a massive gamble in the sixth, Walker said he had ridden doubles on three occasions in the past and was looking forward to his first triple.

"I'm glad it came today as I was working hard to achieve it," Walker said.

"Right now I feel good about my riding ... nowmoving up the jockeys' standings with 11 winners to hold down sixth position, I just have to keep focused, try to keep out of trouble with the stewards and avoid injury to impact on racing fans," said Walker who became the fourth apprentice behind Javour Simpson, Carlton Malcolm and Harriston Lewis on the previous Wednesday to have ridden a triple.

Meanwhile, ROCK STAR QUEEN running at odds of 11-1 with Javour Simpson riding for owner/trainer Patrick Lynch, won race No. 3 in the CTL Claiming series over 1200 metres, this in a driving finish from RUCKUS (5-1) and SEGA (4-1).

Always prominent as RISING MOON made most, ROCK STAR QUEEN successfully challenged entering the straight, but had to be driven out to win by three-quarter length from the fast-finishing RUCKUS and the ever-present SEGA. The 8-5 favourite QUICK MEDIC raced prominently to have every chance on the outside approaching the distance, but had to settle for fourth.

Simpson and in-form jockey Paul 'Country' Francis rode two winners each, while the Pick-9 again proved elusive, the carryover to Saturday standing at $3.4 million.