Brian Boodramsingh captures jockey's title at Boxing Day races

IT went down to the wire for the jockey's title on the Boxing Day racecard at Santa Rosa Park Arima on Tuesday.

The day all started with Tristan Phillips with twelve wins, Champion rider Brian Boodramsingh with eleven and Dillon Khelawan with thirteen winners. With Dillon Khelawan deciding to ply his trade in Guyana on Boxing Day it came down to Brian Boodramsingh and Tristan Phillips looking to raise the trophy.

It began from the first event in which two-kilo claimer Apprentice Tristan Phillips landed Leonardo Angel to victory for trainer Terrance Thomas and Owner Lance Warner Jr to send the apprentice champion into the lead with one in front of Boodramsingh.

The anxiety then began to build as both riders had very respectable mounts in the second event with Brian Boodransingh piloting Fulfill for owner Michelle Bernard-Roberts and trainer Chester Roberts to finish fourth in the event. Champion Apprentice Tristan Phillips had the leg up on D’Hummingbird for trainer Shaffique Khan and owner Aga Stables to be beaten into fifth.

Champion rider Boodramsingh secured his second booking for the day in the third race that saw him being victorious aboard favourite Headlines Again for owner Ruthven R Smith and Champion Trainer John O’Brien. He quickly moved on to the fourth race to partner Princess Royal for owner Raroma Stables where he was beaten on the winning line into second.

Then turfites saw Apprentice Tristan Phillips and Champion rider Brian Boodramsingh clashing in The Edmund De Freitas Gold Cup in which Phillips rode Just Exhale for owner Lance Warner(jnr) and trainer Terrance Thomas and could only finish fourth in the contest. Boodramsingh secured the ride on Hello World for Owner Poon Tip Stud Farm Limited and trainer John O’Brien giving Boodramisngh victory and drawing him level with Apprentice Tristan Phillips.

It then boiled down to the finale that saw Champion rider Boodramsingh securing the ride on Theory Of Colours for owner Laurence Berment and trainer Glenn Mendez and Apprentice Tristan Phillips on Alpha Centauri for owner K’Vish stables but in the end, it was Boodramsingh that was able to secure victory for the ninth time.

After not competing on the local circuit for the last seven months it was a remarkable jockey's title for Brian Boodramsingh.

The 2024 racing season will begin on January 27 2024.

Here now is the final standings for the jockey championship 2023

(1) Brian Boodramsingh 14

(2) Dillon Khelawan 13

(3) Tristan Phillips 13 (Champion Apprentice)

(4) Nobel Abrego 10

(5) Omar Mohammed 7