Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

Canada-based jockey Shane Ellis heads to the winners' enclosure aboard Gary Subratie's UNLEADED after winning yesterday's 2,200-metre CTL Fan Appreciation Day Trophy race with the eight-year-old gelding. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

CANADA-BASED rider Shane Ellis captured two of yesterday's feature events on the 10-race New Year's Day card at Caymanas Park.

Champion jockey in 2000, Ellis booted home a three-timer including MUCHO GUSTO in the 1300-metre New Year's Day Trophy race and UNLEADED in the CTL Fan Appreciation Day Trophy race over 2200 metres.

His other winner was PREMIUM VELOCITY in the 1000-metre round fourth event for maiden three-year-olds.

Too light

MUCHO GUSTO, who had not raced since placing third behind RUM TALK and Derby winner THE BOMBER in last July's Jamaica St. Leger, chased Kenneth Mattis' TAKE FIVE into the lane and pulled away from the filly inside the final half-furlong, simply too light against horses with proven lesser ability.

Trained by Anthony Nunes, MUCHO GUSTO was no worse than third in four classic races last season, but sat at 52 kilos yesterday, among the lighter horses in the event, and duly stamped his class at odds of 1-2.

Nunes and Ellis had earlier teamed-up to win with PREMIUM VELOCITY, a $1-million yearling in 2006.

TAKE FIVE ran a brave race for second behind MUCHO GUSTO, finishing ahead of MARK TO MARKET, who was slowly away, but improved into fourth at the top of the lane and outfinished FELI-CIDAD for third.

Pulled away

Ellis returned to land the longer Fan Appreciation Day Trophy with Gary Subratie-trained UNLEADED, who outstayed SIMPLYUNBELIE-VABLE and 2-1 favourite ACCOM-PONG.

UNLEADED raced off the pace down the backstretch before making his move a half-mile out.

Attacking a weakening ACCOM-PONG as a team with SIMPLY-UNBELIEVABLE at the top of the straight, UNLEADED lengthened his strides on the outside and pulled away inside the final furlong.

The day's other feature race, the 1820-metre McKay Security Trophy race, was won in a driving finish by SOY MUJER, outbattling SIR MOHANDAS BABA after bolting and running very wide into the straight.

Partnered by Carlton Malcolm, SOY MUJER prompted the pace down the backstretch from fourth position along the rail, while DORALDO led under pressure from TOO HOT TO TROT and SOFTLY MY DEAR.

SOY MUJER made her bid leaving the three-pole and led past DORALDO but shot wide off the turn while SIR MOHANDAS BABA made his move and went second off the turn.

SIR MOHANDAS BABA tried hard, but was held by SOY MUJER back to the wire.

Doubles

Trainer Lawrence Freemantle topped the day with three winners, MISS ROSE in the second, NUMERO UNO in the third and JACK BE GOOD in the fifth, the last two ridden by apprentice Delroy Beharie, one of three riders on the card with two winners apiece.

Clive Lynch and Dane Nelson also rode doubles. Lynch booted home two winners for trainer Alden Francis, ALI SPENDER in the first and WINNING MESSAGE in the sixth, whereas Nelson won aboard MISS ROSE and IN THE PRIME in the closing event.

The elusive Pick-9 was finally nailed on New Year's Day, paying out $242,000 to 28 winning tickets after starting the day with a $4.5 million carryover.

Racing continues this Saturday with the Colin Melhado Memorial Cup as the feature event.