Ellis
The American colt LIKKLE BIT ran on strongly in mid-stretch to win the 3-y-o and up overnight allowance feature over 1400 metres, in decisive fashion at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Offering the generous odds of 3-1 with former champion Shane Ellis riding for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, LIKKLE BIT was held off the pace in fourth position as TOBAGO (9-2) led under pressure from AGUILA (7-1), followed by the 9-5 favourite SLOGAN in third.
Moving smoothy from the halfway stage, LIKKLE BIT soon went in chase of the leaders, and coming three wide into the straight had to hard driven to gain the ascendancy.
Last furlong
He went by TOBAGO early in the last furlong and also put paid to the chances of SLOGAN attempting a run on the inside rails leaving the furlong pole, to win by a length from TOBAGO.
SLOGAN finished another half a length third, while PRIME MINISTER, highly fancied at 9-5, ran no race at all to finish last but one in the seven-strong field.
A four-year-old bay gelding by Family Calling out of Herecomesthegirls, LIKKLE BIT is owned by New Blue and bred by Lawrence Heffes. His next objective is the $2.1 million 'BOP' Imported Mile on Superday, November 14. He was beaten a short head at 99-1 by ENGLISH STORM in this race last year.
Meanwhile, three-time champion jockey Hubert Bartley rode his first winner in over four years, this aboard 6-1 chance THE BEST MAN in the fifth race (special claiming) over 1200 metres.
The five-year-old gelding from the stables of Patrick Chang made most to win easily, flooring the odds on 3-5 favourite ROMEZ, who finished 51/4 lengths second. THE BEST MAN has now won five of his last six races.
Significantly, Bartley, who has been dogged by weight problems over the years, stopped riding in July 2005 and resumed riding on October 17 this year.
On a day when the apprentice Conrod Ellis notched his first winner in the Stanley Findlay-trained PRINCESS PARADISE in the sixth race, Shane Ellis rode two winners, while DaCosta and Ryan Darby saddled two winners each.