Just being in the race means I have a chance – jockey Orlando Foster
When the gates open on Saturday at Caymanas Park, jockey Orlando “Chucky”Foster will be riding in his second Diamond Mile.
This year’s Diamond Mile Race is sponsored by Supreme Ventures Limited, Caymanas Track Limited and the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission, with associate sponsors ISP Finance Limited, ATL Automotive Limited and the Jamaica Observer.
In the inaugural running of the US$115,000 Diamond Mile Race, Foster rode the Wayne DaCosta-trained Fortuneonehundred to a seventh-place finish behind Seeking My Dream.
But when Foster takes a leg up on Hover Craft —also trained by DaCosta — in the 1,600-metre event, he feels he has an outside chance of upsetting the more fancied rivals in the race.
“First of all, I am very grateful for the second chance of riding in the Diamond Mile. It is a very wonderful and amazing feeling and I must thank the trainer for giving me the opportunity to represent his stables again. And by just being in the race, you know you have a chance,” Foster said.
“The Diamond Mile itself is a very wonderful and competitive race as everyone is going for the win. All owners, trainers, jockeys and grooms want to win this race and so they are coming fully loaded to perform well.
“This race is also good for the racing industry, as it will attract more and new faces to the track due to the competitiveness and well-presented race day,” he added.
Foster, based on the training of his mount, believes that once the race day plan goes according to script, he will have an outside shot of taking home a piece of the pie and maybe even winning.
“He (Hover Craft) has been training really well going into the Diamond Mile. He worked Sunday morning in 1:02.0 minutes very easily; he is ready to give his best. I do not doubt myself, I am a very good rider and I can do my thing. All I need is the rides to show my real talent. I have shown time and again that I am capable of getting the job done.
“ Hover Craft is a stretch- running horse who will be coming at them in the final stages of the race. The headline is going to be fast and I am just hoping that I am close enough to land a blow when it matters the most,” he said.
