EDMONTON, Alberta, CMC – Defending Northlands Park jockeys’ champion Rico Walcott rode a triple on Friday’s eight-race card to extend his winning trend, after landing four-winners on Wednesday’s mid-week programme.
Walcott took victory in race two with Momma’s Gone Wild, followed up in race three with Sweet Laurette before clinching his third win in race five aboard Ask Alice.
The Barbadian’s outstanding form saw him rocket back to the top of the jockeys standings with 19 wins but is tied with Stephan Heiler, with Scott Williams one back in third on 18 wins.
Walcott, the younger brother of former Northlands champion Rickey Walcott, opened his account over six furlongs when he made all the running with the three-year-old filly Momma’s Gone Wild, to get her to the wire by 1-1/4 lengths.
He was back in winners row again soon afterward going the same distance when he carried 2-1 bet Sweet Laurette to victory by three-quarter lengths over the three-year-old fillies.
The favourite Thurlow was six lengths clear at the half-way stage but Walcott tracked from second along the rails before closing the dark bay filly quickly.
In another six furlong trip in race five, Walcott raced the favourite Ask Alice well off the pace as Link of Steel and Chilly Kiss disputed the early going.
Walcott brought the three-year-old filly through the turn swiftly, roused her in the upper stretch and carried her impressively to the finish to win by two lengths. The talented reinsman also dominated the mid-week action, winning half the races on the eight-race card.
He raised the curtain on the day with a 2-3/4 length win aboard the three-year-old bay gelding Palm Drive, won a close contest in race three with the five-year-old mare Chandlers Heart before dominating the four-year-old fillies with the favourite Keyano in race four, to win by four lengths.
Walcott then fittingly closed the day with a pillar-to-post ride aboard the four-year-old chestnut gelding Doubleoseven, steering the favourite to the wire 1-1/4 lengths clear.
