Champion jockey Omar Walker at his brilliant best yesterday, scoring a short-head victory with 12-1 outsider SIMPLY AWESOME (No. 9) over MIDKNIGHT BLUE, ridden by Dane Nelson. The win was one of five on the 10-race programme for the leading rider. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance photographer

This year's Derby winner HE'S REALLY OK won his initial battle against older horses at Caymanas Park yesterday, thanks to a decisive victory in the Prime Minister's Stakes (grade one) feature over 2000 metres.

Installed a 2-1 second favourite in a field of six, HE'S REALLY OK, toting a mere 50.0kg with Paul 'Country' Francis again in the saddle, stayed on strongly to grab the lead from front-running HOMBRE (5-2) early in the last furlong. He hang tough to win by a length from the rank outsider STAR OF THE SEA (19-1), who closed rapidly from well behind in the last 100 metres.

The Independence Day race meet was, however, highlighted by champion and leading jockey Omar Walker, who rode five winners (for the fourth time in his career) on the 10-race programme.

His wins included the Lazel Khwalsingh-trained SIMPLY AWESOME at 12-1 in the Independence Stakes Trophy over 1600 metres for $180,000 claimers, and NATURALLY ROYAL at 9-2 for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta in the Gerry Skelton Memorial Trophy over 1100m.

Walker was at his brilliant best aboard SIMPLY AWESOME, booting home the eight-year-old mare by a short head in a tremendous last-furlong duel with arch-rival Dane Nelson aboard MIDKNIGHT BLUE (7-2). Brian Harding, though overshadowed, rode three winners.

Prime minister's stakes

In the day's feature race, HOMBRE, coming off a recent runaway win in the Nigel B. Nunes Memorial Trophy over 1820 metres, was heavily backed as the 3-5 early favourite, but gradually lengthened to 5-2 as the 2008 Superstakes winner AD INFINITUM under in-form jockey Brian Harding, tumbled from 9-2 at one stage to eventually start favourite at 8-5.

But AD INFINITUM found himself outpaced in the small field and was never a factor, finishing fourth, while top weight RUM TALK (5-2) also ran below par.

The lightly weighted HOMBRE, as expected, led from 12- chance ENGLISH STORM, But he was unable to escape HE'S REALLY OK who, after turning for home two lengths second, responded to a flaying left hand stick from Francis, eventually disposing of HOMBRE early in the last furlong to record his fourth win from 12 starts this season.

He thus made amends for his below-par run in the RJR St Leger on July 11 when surprisingly beaten into sixth place by BRUCEON-THELOOSE, this after attempting to make all.

As a result of this victory, HE'S REALLY OK, a three-year-old roan gelding by He'stherealthing out of the Slick Trick mare OK Mom, has become the leading stakes winner this season with over $5.7 million. He is trained by Frederick Watson for owner/breeder Patrick Smellie.

"At the weights, we expected him to win," said Smellie. "My only concern was when and where we would catch HOMBRE, who was coming off an impressive all-the-way win. But as always, the staying ability of HE'S REALLY OK enabled him to win another prestigious race," explained the owner, who added that his major objective is the Superstakes in November.