T&T's Learie C Seecharan, twin brother of Lenny Seecharan, the 2018 Hastings Racecourse in British Columbia champion apprentice jockey, will be trying to emulate his sibling's performance this year.
Two weeks ago, Learie showed his intent when he rode old-stager Buffalo Soldier to victory in the feature at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.
The 22-year-old, who won five races at the Hastings Race Course, looks set to better that performance this season.
The Harold Chadee trained Buffalo Soldier showed the racing fraternity and punters alike that age is just a number. The ten-year-old brown gelding turned back the clock, just as he did in November when he scored at odds of 45/1 when beating the Gold Cup winner Nuclear Power and runner-up Valorous in the process.
Last Saturday in the feature, Modified Benchmark Handicap for three-year-old and over horses rated 90-70 going over a distance of 1,350 metres on the main track at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, punters sent him off at odds of 9/2 but Learie and the gelding came through.
When quizzed about the ride, Seecharan said, "The trainer Mr Harold Chadee told me to ride him all the way. He said that he likes me and responds to me so that is what I did. However, the trainer reminded me that they will go fast in front and when they do, it will set the race up beautifully for me."
"When we got to the top of the straight, I had a doubt about winning as the favourites Desert Dancer and Magical Victory were travelling well. However, I manoeuvred him off the rail to the middle of the track and he began to quicken up and eat into the leaders' lead and with 100 metres to the line, I knew we had it won. He stayed on so strongly that I was able to ease him close home with his rivals well beaten."
When asked about his goals for this year, Learie said, "I will like to follow in my brother Lenn's footstep and win the Champion Apprentice at Hasting Racecourse this year. I will be going with my brother once again from March this year and it is my hope that I will improve significantly in the next two months to be the best apprentice at Hastings Racecourse in Canada.
Learie's father, the senior Learie Seecharan and former champion jockey Brian Harding should take a bow as they have produced some fine apprentices in the Seecharan brothers and Sven Balroop, who has now won two races from three race days at Santa Rosa Park.
Hopefully, like Buffalo Soldier, Learie can continue his triumphant march to the Hastings championship.