A rider with a combination of skill, intelligence, experience, and physical strength can often change the result of a race at any given time.

Dane Nelson used this combination to win the biggest race of his career when he piloted the Wayne DaCosta-trained She’s A Maneater to a near seven-length win Diamond Mile 2017.

Nelson is describing that win aboard She’s A Maneater as a treasured moment for him, one that will forever be locked away safely in his mind and heart.

“It is the most lucrative, the most prestigious, and the biggest race of the year. I was not just happy, I was more than happy that day. I felt that I was Superman; I felt that if I tired, I could fly in the sky that day. It was a wonderful and amazing that I won the Diamond Mile.

“ She’s A Maneater is a really great horse, one of the best to race at Caymanas Park. I was happy that I got the opportunity that day to ride her in the biggest race of the year.

“I have ridden so many winners in so many big races, but the victory aboard She’s A Maneater is a moment that will live with me for a very long time,” Nelson said.

She’s A Maneater wasn’t the best out of the starting gates at the off, but instead of rushing her down to find a striking position, Nelson, who was riding her for the first time, held her against the inside rails for the first half of the race.

As expected, speedsters Talented Tony K and Sir Budget went at each other on the lead, with Money Magnet, Choo Choo Blue and Will In Charge their closest pursuers. At that time She’s A Maneater was some 12 lengths behind in eighth position.

Everyone thought that Nelson would have urged the bay filly to get closer approaching the five-and-a-half furlong (1,100m) point, but he sat there and allowed three horses to go by him, thereby losing valuable ground to the leaders who were running like scared hares. Little did racing fans know that Nelson was waiting for an opening rather than being trapped on the inside rails.

Swinging into the half mile (800m) and going towards the final bend, Nelson asked his mount to go and She’s A Maneater slowly began to round horses on the inside rails before Nelson switched her outside, going five wide on the turn.

Now with a clear run between horses in deep stretch, She’s A Maneater powered home, winning convincingly.

“It was a great performance from the filly. She responded well and did everything I asked her to do.

“My job as the rider is to take my mount where there is safe passage and to manoeuvre without causing any interference, and so I have no fear of running into traffic. I just rode her according to how she was running.

“I just tried to keep her in a handy spot and on reaching the half-mile, I just carried her down and from then on I knew that she would blow the field away.

“Entering any race, the question of being nervous does not arise as I have been riding since 2002. I have overcome that fear already, and all that I had to do was to use the skills I have developed over those years and put them to good use,” Nelson said.