Nunes reels off natural hattrick to close deficit in trainers' championship

Two time defending champion Anthony "Baba" Nunes reeled off a natural hattrick on Thursday's 9-race at Caymanas Park to inject more suspense into the intriguing battle with Jason DaCosta for this year's trainer's championship.

Nunes who began the day $1.9 million in stakes earnings behind DaCosta, has now cut the deficit to just under $746,000  entering Sunday's penultimate day of the 2021 calendar.

Nunes landed race number 2 with the 1-5 favourite Paraiso under Robert Halledeen over 5 furlongs round before taking the next event courtesy of the 3-2 chance Hecandance ridden by former champion jockey Shane Ellis over 7 furlongs. He closed out the hattrick with the 1-9 favourite Legality under halledeen going a mile. DaCosta went winless on the programme.

Meanwhile, the inform Halledeen also landed a three timer, as in addition to Paraiso and Legality, he closed the programme aboard the Patrick "Wacky" Lynch-trained 5-2 shot High Diplomacy over 7-and-a-half furlongs. Racing continues on Sunday with 11 events on the programme.