File
Omar Walker ... rode two winners.

Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

The grey CIRCLE DROME was rewarded for his consistency at Caymanas Park yesterday, landing the 3-y-o and up overnight allowance feature for the Gerry Skelton Memorial Cup at 1100 metres.

Installed a 2-1 second favourite with title-chasing apprentice jockey Omar Walker aboard, CIRCLE DROME, who was always prominent, hadto be driven flat out in the last 200 metres to catch and beat the 39-1 outsider MY PLEASURE, who attempted to make all in a field of eight.

CIRCLE DROME was actually settled in third as MY PLEASURE under the apprentice Everton Bennett led at a fast clip from RIO INFINITO (5-1) who made a futile attempt to get on terms leaving the quarter pole. With the 3-2 favourite ALNASKRA failing to go the early pace after a sluggish start, it was left to CIRCLE DROME to reel in PLEASURE CRUISE, going by in the last 100 metres to beat him by 1 1/2 lengths.

RIO INFINITO faded into third place, another two lengths away, heads on with the fourth horse ALNASKRA making mild headway.

A 5-y-o gelding by Liver Stand out of Circle Syndrome, CIRCLE DROME is owned by Anthony Ferguson, trained by Colin Ferguson and was bred by Errol Campbell.

Earlier in the afternoon, another grey horse, BLUE MARLIN made all convincingly to win the Eileen Cliggott 90th Birthday Trophy race over 1200 metres (non winners of three), sponsored by friends of the legendary 'Hall of Fame' female trainer who retired six years ago after saddling 976 winners locally.

A rare appearance

Cliggott, who made a rare appearance at Caymanas Park yesterday as guest of the promoters, celebrates her 90th birthday today. She was born in England on August 5, 1917.

Ridden by Richie Mitchell, BLUE MARLIN won by 6 1/2 lengths from LIGHT MY FIRE (10-1) and highly fancied PRINCESS NESSA (8-5) who chased her at close range for a long way in the seven-strong field.

Owned by PAC Stables, the four-year-old filly by Outrigger out of Fight For Pleasure provided trainer Carl Anderson with his first winner on local soil.

Unlike the new crop of trainers who came through the JRC training course, Anderson obtained his trainers' licence in Florida in 2000 and has saddled six winners at Calder and Gulfstream. BLUE MARLIN was his first winner from only his fourth starter locally, but Anderson, who is popularly called 'Peter' and 'Django', has enjoyed notable success asan owner, winning the 2001 One Thousand Guineas, Oaks and Derby with the classy filly AWESOME POWER who is currently standing for service at Anderson's farm, Mercedes Stud and Stables, Port Henderson Road.

On a day when Walker (Circle Drome, Ugottabelieve) and Larris Allen (Rickayba, All Fired Up) shared the riding honours with two winners each, the nine-race programme produced two notable upsets in SPLINTER MAGIC at 44-1 in the sixth race for maidens and RUN ROMAN RUN at 15-1 in the fourth.