Champion jockey Omar Walker sits astride UGOTTABELIEVE after the six-year-old mare won Saturday's Colin Melhado Memorial Cup feature race at Caymanas Park to hand trainer Steadman Curtis (second left) his 100th career win. Owner Linden Richards (left) and his young son join the celebration party inside the winners' enclosure. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
OMAR WALKER rounded off a fantastic 2007, his first full year in the saddle, becoming the third apprentice to win the jockeys' title at Caymanas Park following Richard DePass in 1970 and Wesley Henry in 1997.
Walker, who started riding July 29, 2006, winning just 10 races over five months, teamed up with champion trainer Wayne DaCosta last year to bag 95 winners.
The in-form apprentice finished second on 60 occasions throughout 2007 and third 64 times to build a huge following among punters while earning the respect of trainers.
Five-time champion Trevor Simpson, who made a spirited bid, finished second with 76 wins, 16 ahead of apprentice Javour Simpson, as five of the new riders ended 2007 among the top 10 jockeys at Caymanas Park.
Carlton Malcolm was fourth on 49 wins, Jason Simpson eighth with 32 and Andre Martin ninth on 29.
Champions title
Wayne DaCosta returned as champion trainer, Hamark Farms retained the champion owner title and Henry Jaghai took home yet another breeders' crown.
DaCosta won the trainers' title for the third year in a row, securing his eighth championship, after winning his first in 1984.
The champion trainer ended 2007 with 59 wins and stakes of $30,169,175, well clear of many-time champion Philip Feanny on $23,847,500.
Feanny saddled 50 winners to finish a clear second ahead of Anthony Nunes on 33 wins and stakes worth $18,255,925.
Top five
Perennial claiming king, Robert Darby Sr., had 41 winners and stakes of $15,096,825 whereas Gary Subratie rounded off the top five trainers with 33 wins and $13,837,075 in stakes.
Howard Hamilton's Hamark Farms retained the champion owners' title with 20 wins and stakes of $11,187,150.
Hamark Farm's flagship runner, DISTINCTLY IRISH, who won the Horse of the Year title in 2004 as a three-year-old, is set to land his second title, earning $3,732,000 for Hamark Farms followed by MUSICAL MAESTRO with $3,503,100.
Barbadian owner Elias Haloute was second with 11 winning horses and stakes of $9,697,650 followed by Ruth Hussey on 15 wins and $6,837,800.
Philip Feanny's RUM TALK, the 2000 Guineas and St. Leger winner ended the year as the leading horse in stakes earned, $4,286,850 and three wins. Superstakes winner MAJOR MAYER earned $3,947,200 just ahead of Derby winner, THE BOMBER, with $3,900,850.
