Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
ELLIS
FORMER CHAMPION jockey Shane Ellis joined the suspended Paul Francis at the top of the jockeys' standings on Saturday when he registered the first three-timer of 2006.
Ellis, champion jockey in 2000, thus pushed his season's tally to five after winning aboard the highly fancied 3-y-o debutante MASANIELLO in the first race, the 9-5 favourite CAT LEGEND in the fifth race and 7-5 favourite T.V. AD in the closing race.
Ellis, who has been working with popular agent 'Maradona' since returning to Jamaica last month following a fairly successful stint at Woodbine in Canada, says he will continue to ride at Caymanas Park until March before returning to Canada for the opening of its spring meet.
SECOND-GENERATION JOCKEY
A second-generation jockey, Ellis is the son of three-time champion jockey Winston Ellis who won titles (1964, '67, '69) in the sixties while he was stable jockey to the legendary trainers Laurie Silvera and later Allan 'Billy' Williams.
Papa Ellis was popularly called 'Dozer' and 'Nero' by racing fans and was imortalised by the legendary DJ U Roy's popular song "Blaze Away I Say ... ride on Nero, ride on."
Shane said he was happy to chalk up the season's first triple and is looking forward to other good days in the saddle before leaving for Canada.
"I only need the rides to excel," he was quick to point out. "Right now I am fitter than I have ever been and I am riding more confident as well. It's all about fitness and commitment. Those elements combined spell success," said the 32-year-old jockey.
Ellis graduated from the Jockeys' School in April, 1996, along with batchmates Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry, Richard Mitchell and Leo Miller, to name a few, and it did not take him long to notch his first winner, AWARD THE STAR.
Saturday's three-timer pushed his career total to 420 winners at Caymanas Park, but he has ridden scores of winners during his frequent stints in Canada.
Locally, Ellis won the Derby aboard the filly AWESOME POWER for trainer Patrick Chang in 2001, nosing out the Charles Hussey-ridden MILLIMETRE in an epic stretch duel.
He also won the Red Stripe Superstakes with the Anthony Nunes-trained PITTACUS in 2003, the 1999 One Thousand Guineas aboard RAY OF HOPE and the 1997 Jamaica Oaks atop P.W's CHOICE.
Few jockeys can boast such big race successes, let alone one with just under 10 years experience in the saddle.
