COCK ROBIN, one of three winners for jockey Richard Mitchell at Caymanas Park yesterday, holds on well to win race number three in the CTL Claiming series over 1100 metres. Offering odds of 7-2, COCK ROBIN ensured that Mitchell and trainer Lazel Khwalsingh have won all three races in the series so far. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Jockey Richard Mitchell and trainer Lazel Khwalsingh were at it again at Caymanas Park yesterday, both teaming up to win race No. 3 in the first CTL Claiming Series over 1000 metres with 7-2 chance COCK ROBIN.
The jockey-and-trainer combination thus maintained their 100 per cent record in the series, having won the first two races with KEELER in January and February.
As a result, they hold a commanding lead in the jockeys' and trainers' category of the six-race series, which ends in June.
Team Khwalsingh, in fact, swept the owners' and grooms' category as well. Like he did in the first two races with KEELER, owner Theodore Thompson is also 3-0, as well as the groom Howard Keithon, all with over 60 points.
Having won his two previous races before being claimed by Khwalsingh for $180,000 on March 4, COCK ROBIN broke well from the number-one post position and proceeded to make all.
The five-year-old son of Alisios out of Catch The Rumour kept on strongly on the muddy surface to win by 2-1/4 lengths from 2-1 favourite DIGI N' JIGGY and WINNING MESSAGE (7-1), heads on in a field of eight. COCK ROBIN duly completed a hat-trick of wins.
Khwalsingh said he was confident of extending his streak with COCK ROBIN, as the horse was clearly one of the fittest in the field.
"When I claimed him from Robert Darby earlier this month, I got him in good shape and had this race in mind for him. So I put him on a different nutrition programme. He put on weight as a result and came back to beat an even better field today," said Khwalsingh, who was happy that the horse was not claimed.
Meanwhile, Mitchell highlighted the seven-race programme with three winners - COCK ROBIN, THE CHIEF (made all) at 8-1 in the sixth and 8-5 favourite ANASTASIA, who romped the closing race for maiden three-year-olds over 1400 metres.