Mitchell

Jockey Richard 'Bya' Mitchell stole the show at Caymanas Park yesterday with three winners, including highly fancied BIG DIVA for trainer Tony Kirlew in the Sweet Ruckus Trophy over 1400 metres.

The 37-year-old jockey, who recently returned to the saddle after a near five-month absence due to injury, also won aboard GLOBAL WARMING at 5-2 for trainer Kingsley Davis in the eighth race over 1300 metres for maiden three-year-olds; and the American colt CHINA CROSSING at 5-1 for trainer Morris Powell in the ninth, over 1500 metres.

In August of this year, Mitchell was involved in an early morning spill at exercise. He broke his pelvis and hip bone in the mishap and only returned to the saddle a fortnight ago.

At the time of the incident, Mitchell was lying fourth in the standings with 35 winners. Yesterday's three-timer pushed his season's tally to 38 for sixth place in the standings.

The jockey is looking forward to impacting next year.

Thankful

"God has spared me to come back and ride winners today and I am thankful for that," said Mitchell, who is a born-again Christian.

"I feel well within myself now and the winners should continue to flow," added the bustling jockey who started riding as an apprentice in 1996.

"The confidence is back and I'm focused. As a jockey I have come to realise that if you have too many things on your mind you're only going to make mistakes, so the focus is on my riding..."

Meanwhile, Mitchell brought the 7-5 chance BIG DIVA from off the pace to win the 17th running of the Sweet Ruckus Trophy race for native and imported two-year-olds by three lengths from his more fancied stable-companion CAT FOR THE KING (6-5) and 4-5 favourite ALLABOUTTHECASH.

The chestnut filly caught up with CAT FOR THE KING early in the last furlong to win easily in a field of six. BIG DIVA, who has now won twice from three starts, is owned by Winston McIntosh.

Title-chasing jockey Paul 'Country' Francis, who started the day two behind sidelined champion Omar Walker, failed to ride a winner on the 11-race programme, despite having some fancied mounts.

Francis will need two winners at the final meet on Boxing Day to share the title with Walker - who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury sustained in an October 31-spill.

There were two stunning upsets on the card; TOUCHDOWN at 49-1 in the opening race and top-weight MUCHO GUSTO at 22-1 in the seventh over 1300 metres for open-allowance horses.