by Jimmie, Star Racing Writer
OVERSHADOWED by an intense four-way race for the jockeys' championship at Caymanas Park, former top apprentice, Paul 'Country' Francis, has found it difficult to secure choice rides this season after ending 2005 third in the standings.
Francis is sitting sixth in the standings on 31 wins, three behind former batchmate Oneil Mullings and some way off champion jockey Brian Harding (52), who leads Wesley Henry by one atop the table.
However, he could improve his position tomorrow afternoon with a double aboard PECKUS OUT in the 1500-metre seventh race and GOLCONDA in the 10th for the Eric Dias Memorial Cup at 1820 metres.
A non-winner of three races, PECKUS OUT hasn't raced since early May but has trained nicely, galloping five furlongs round in 1:01.4 Wednesday morning.
Trained by Alfred Wright, PECKUS OUT came from way off the pace to finish six and a quarter-length third behind HAIL THE I and HIGH GRADE at 1400 metres on May 6.
Never worse than fourth in his last 10 outings, PECKUS OUT should be nicely freshened and reports light enough at 51.0 kilos to storm past rivals with an extra half-furlong to travel.
Francis should return to land the feature event with GOLCONDA, who he had partnered to victory at a mile on July 15.
Claimed by Noel Ennevor for $240,000 on June 3, GOLCONDA was pushed up in class for his next outing. With Francis aboard, the six-year-old mare closed strongly to outfinish in-form $290,000 claimers CORDITE and FROMRUSSIAWITHLOVE.
GOLCONDA continues to relish the change of barn and has looked happy in the mornings at exercise. Having had the beating of ALL FIRED UP and PADDY'S STORM last time out, Ennevor's runner should once again be closing too fast to withstand at a longer 1820 metres.
Jackpots near $4m
BOMBAY PRINCESS at 23-1 in the eighth, followed by 10-1 LA REINA in the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission Trophy race, knocked all Super-6 and Pick-9 bets cold on Monday's closing day of the two-day holiday carnival.
The Super-6, which starts at the sixth event tomorrow, will have a carryover of $647,498 and the Pick-9, which gets under way at the third, starts at a whopping $3.2 million.
Robert Darby's NATURAL SEL-ECTOR won impressively on July 22 and should give Pick-9 players a flying start in what, on paper, appears to be a tricky event.
NATURAL SELECTOR finished lame when winning at a mile in a speedy 1:39.4 and has been confined mainly to the equine pool since.
However, the five-year-old gelding, who won his previous race by nine lengths beating up on $290,000 claimers, should land the hat-trick by tracking and chasing recent winner LIGHTENING ALLEY off the lead.
Super-6 players should note how HEAVENLY DREAMS was only beaten by out-of-class CHOO CHOO CHOO on Monday and must be followed on his swift return after chasing home the American, who covered the distance in a dead-wind 59.0 seconds flat.
Other key Super-6 picks are SEA CRACKERS in the eighth at a mile, PRINCESS JACQUELINE in the ninth and BUTCHER MAN among $160,000 conditional claimers in the nightpan.
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