Apprentice Javour Simpson (right) gesticulates while speaking to trainer Richard Azan at Caymanas Park recently. - photos Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
ONE of the positive developments at Caymanas Park last year was the progress shown by the apprentice riders who graduated from the Jockeys' School in July.
By the end of the year, 12 from the batch of 15 had ridden over 100 winners combined.
Among the hottest of them is 21-year-old Javour Simpson, who has impressed racing fans with his keen sense of pace and consistency in getting among the winners.
Javour, who is no relation to fellow apprentice Jason Simpson who has also done well for himself, finished second in last season's apprentice standings with 21 winners, only two behind champion apprentice Carlton Malcolm.
His effort earned him ninth place in the overall jockeys' standings, a remarkable feat when one considers that himself and Malcolm (who finished eighth with 23 wins) only started riding on July 29.
First triple
On Saturday, Javour killed two birds with one stone by virtue of notching his first triple and assuming the lead in the apprentice standings with 27 winners as well. His three-timer comprised KEELER at 4-1 in the fourth race, MAGIC MOMENT at 2-1 in the fifth and UNCLE D & ME also at 2-1 in the seventh.
If that wasn't enough, the young rider seized the opportunity to assume the lead from the suspended Jason Simpson in the jockeys' standings with six winners.
Javour was elated with Saturday's windfall and is looking forward to the rest of the season with great anticipation.
"Today (Saturday) was my best day in the saddle, and right now I am happy with how I am riding,"
confessed the talented lightweight rider who has a twin brother.
"I will try my best to continue the momentum and so long as I get good rides from the trainers, the winners will come. I'm fit and riding with confidence and keeping my fingers crossed to avoid injury and suspensions.
"I am proud of the way in which all of us as graduates have progressed in a short space of time and although I still have a lot to learn, being a jockey is the best thing that could have happened to me," he added.
While all is sweet and dandy at present, Javour is mindful of the pitfalls in racing and aims to walk the straight and narrow path. These include bad company and drug abuse.
Gave up football
A past student of Jose Marti Technical in Twickenham Park, Javour, who hails from Spanish Town, said he was never really interested in racing while in school, but football. Because of his size, however, he decides to give up football and before long the focus was on horseracing.
He initially linked up with trainer Donovan Phillipps and was soon taught the rudiments of riding.
Pretty soon Javour was working horses for a number of trainers, including many-time champion Philip Feanny, who recommended him to the Jockeys' School, which is run by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC).
In the latter stages of the six-month course last summer, Javour won the preparatory race confined to Jockeys' School's trainees aboard LADY POOJA and while this provided a real thrill, the feeling was even greater when he rode his first official winner, LAW LORD, for Feanny in August of last year.
He has not looked back since and with other winners such as the 99-1 outsider TRACK STAR, CELEBRATION TIME, MAMA'S GIRL, CORDITE, AZULI, CIRCLE DROME and a hat-trick of runaway wins aboard SIR KHAN (his favourite horse) coming in recent weeks, the sky's the limit for this talented 3.0kg claiming apprentice.
- O.C.