DaCosta wins 18th trainers' title

STRANGER DANGER won yesterday's Sweet Ruckus Trophy by 16 lengths, putting the lid on an 18th trainers' title for Wayne DaCosta at Caymanas Park.

DaCosta, who started the day $1.57 million clear of Anthony Nunes, opened the 11-race card with UNBREAKABLE and watched as his rival won the second, third and fifth events with BRUCE WAYNE, TOONA CILIATA and ORPHEUS, respectively, reducing the deficit by approximately $1 million.

However, DaCosta's ace, the smart United States-bred STRANGER DANGER, was always waiting in the wings and made no mistake with Anthony Thomas aboard, earning $546,000, plus a trophy valued at $25,000, which, added to other minor placings throughout the day, put the champion trainer $649,800 clear of Nunes, who returned to close a four-timer with ADONIS in the eighth event.

Apart from his four-timer, Nunes' consolation was Stephan Narinesingh staving off DaCosta's Carlton Watson to retake the owners' crown by $1.2 million after starting the day $1.08 million ahead.

Thomas' formalised his first jockeys' title with victory astride super two-year-old STRANGER DANGER, his 96th of the season, 11 clear of Panamanian Dick Cardenas.

Dane Nelson, who replaced an absent Dick Cardenas aboard ADONIS, rode three winners on the day while Shane Ellis notched a double.

EASY WIN

Ellis easily won the Royal Lancaster Trophy for two-year-olds with TOONA CILIATA and returned to guide home ORPHEUS, both at odds of 1-9.

Nelson other winners were KEY WITNESS in the seventh and waited on PATRIARCH and MR UNIVERSE to burn out each other before outfinishing the favourite, HILLY'S HALO, to boot home 9-2 chance, ANOTHER VIGOROUS, in the seven-furlong Gladiator Trophy.

The new season runs off next Tuesday, with a nine-race card featuring the New Year's Day Trophy, the $1 million McKay Security Trophy for $180,000 claimers and the Fan Appreciation Day Trophy for overnight allowance runners, both at nine furlongs and 25 yards.