NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CMC):

Jamaican Shaun Bridgmohan continued to close in on second place in the jockeys' championship at Fair Grounds when he logged a double at the southern United States racetrack on Saturday.

Brushing aside a fall in the day's opening race, Bridgmohan opened his account in race seven with favourite Favourite Title and followed up in race eight with 3-1 chance Shave and Pave, to move to 41 wins for the season.

With still seven weeks left in the campaign, Bridgmohan is one ahead of Miguel Mena and seven wins adrift of the second-place James Graham.

Outstanding female rider Rosie Napravnik is out front on 66 wins and tipped to repeat as champion.

competition outdone

Bridgmohan found the winners' circle with Favourite Title when they trounced the three-year-olds over a mile and 16th.

He kept the bay colt at the back of the field as Gunderson and Beat the Storm contested the lead, posting healthy fractions of 23.36 for the quarter and 47.42 for the half-mile.

Entering the stretch in fifth, Favourite Title slowly wore down the leaders before challenging at the16th pole and getting home by a neck ahead of Life's Reward.

In race eight over a mile and 70 yards, Bridgmohan made all the running with Shave and Pave, to beat the four-year-olds and upward over a mile and 70 yards.

The pair duelled with Ten to Midnight through relaxed fractions of 24.06 and 47.86 before getting clear to win by 1-3/4 lengths.

Bridgmohan had earlier taken a tumble in race one when 12-1 bet Rebel Chick stumbled badly at the break and threw him.