'Fanna' gets closer

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Leading all-time jockey Winston 'Fanna' Griffiths moved closer to the magical figure of 1,600 career wins yesterday when he booted home two winners from as many rides on the midweek programme at Caymanas Park.

Griffiths, 51, won aboard even-money favourite RAISE A RUCKUS for 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny in the fourth race over 1500 metres, the American three-year-old colt making all convincingly, and 2-1 favourite FLORENCE, who made most in the sixth race over 1600 metres.

As a result, the Hall of Fame jockey who holds the national honour the Order of Distinction, pushed his lifetime tally to 1,594 wins at Caymanas Park, only six way from another landmark in a long and distinguished career spanning 35 years.

Griffiths, a five-time champion, had the distinction of being the first jockey to achieve 1,000 winners locally, this aboard EROS in the Caribbean Sprint on November 13, 1993.

Also riding two winners were the in-form apprentice Jevvanne Erwin and female apprentice Georgina Sergeon.

Erwin booted home 2-5 favourite TOP COMMANDER and stable-companion WAIT AWHLE at 4-5, both for in-form trainer Ryan Darby, in the third and seventh races, respectively.

Sergeon won aboard 6-5 favourite SOCA PARTY for champion trainer Wayne DaCosta in the first race and LATIN KING at 5-1 for trainer Welsh Soutar in the day's feature for the Violet Armond Memorial Cup (claiming $350,000-$300,000) over 1600 metres.

LATIN KING ran on strongly to catch and beat long-time leader SKETEL in the last 100 metres on a wet surface.