LEADING jockey Ricky Jadoo opened and closed the proceedings yesterday at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, but his efforts failed to secure the highlight on the eight-race card.

It went to Nela Mohammed, who recorded a hat-trick of wins, which started in the third race with Highway Runner, followed by Redtrack in the fourth and Star Princess, who was in a dead-heat with Enigmatic in the fifth.

All three winners were on the turf track for the former champion apprentice, who returned to Trinidad from Marquis Downs, Canada a month ago, had his first ride back home on October 31, missed out last raceday, but returned with a bang yesterday.

His first success was for trainer Harold Chadee aboard Highway Runner, who tracked early leader Xrated and then pounced on the pacesetter near home to score by half-length.

That was followed by a win astride trainer Jules Miller’s Redtrack, who held off the late rush from odds-on favourite Achilles Of Troy.

Young Barbadian three-kilo claiming apprentice Jalon Samuel, riding the runner-up, came in for some strong criticism from punters in the 1,600-metre West Indian-bred three-year-old maidens contest. They were shocked the stewards did not call up Samuel for his over-patient ride.

He was last leaving the start and continued to be tailed off and punters asked: ’He think he riding Zenyatta,’ the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner whose last-to-first late kick is her trademark.

Samuel was at least 20 lengths adrift at the halfway stage, when he started to urge his mount forward, but it was clear at that point he wasn’t going to make it into winners’ enclosure.

Achilles of Troy made eyecatching headway on the outside of the field, but came up second best.

In the next race, Mohammed appeared to have it sewn up aboard trainer Douglas Bennett’s Star Princess, but Miller’s Enigmatic came with a determined challenge under apprentice Stanley Chadee to force the photo-finish judge to do some work.

In the end, the judge could not separate both horses.

In the day’s opener, the 1,750-metre Starter Allowance, Jadoo sent second  favourite Sonata’s Melody to the lead, setting a pedestrian pace, and the rest of riders fell for the ploy.

Shock Carib Guineas winner Santa Rosa Boy tracked the leader, with favourite Decisive Point in midpack. Jadoo increased the tempo aboard the Glenn Mendez-trained runner, owned by Mr GAP, passing the three-quarter pole and caught his opponents flat-footed.

With pursuers struggling to keep in touch, Jadoo’s mount eased ahead  for a comfortable seven-length success.

In the curtain event, he literally made all the running aboard Mendez-trained Homebrush Baby, holding off the rally from Bennett’s Savvy to score by a head.

Owner/trainer Anthony ’Float’ Leotaud also got his name on the board by saddling imported winner Samaan Field in the second race.

Ridden by Ronald ’Tiger’ Ali, the son of Essence of Dubai/Fleta Kalem tracked pacesetting Storyteller and then quickened away heading towards the 600-metre pole for a very comfortable success.

That put Ali (20) one win behind leading apprentice Nicholas Patrick, who then scored aboard favourite Tambu Bambu in the seventh race for trainer Shaffique Khan to maintain a slim lead.

Patrick is ahead with 22 wins, with Ali two behind with five days remaining in the 2009 season.

It is now onto the 1,200-metre Stewards Cup next Saturday.

Trainer Mendez, who will saddle favourite Blackstone Street, appears to have the biggest headache and it stems from who will ride his charge in the Grade One contest.

It is almost official that Ricky Jadoo is tipped to be aboard Mendez’s Cactus Amour, while stable rider and nephew Chris Jadoo will ride Blackstone Street.