Nelson stars with double at Northlands

EDMONTON, Ontario (CMC):

Jamaican jockey Dane Nelson landed a double on Wednesday's mid-week card at Northlands Park here to steal the headlines from title challengers Rico Walcott and Quincy Welch.

The 31-year-old won the first two events on the day's eight-race card, winning the curtain-raiser with 7-1 chance Captain Will and race two with favourite Seek the Noblest.

With the success, Nelson moved to 16 wins for the season, keeping up pressure on the second-place Walcott on 23 wins, with Welch out front on 26.

Nelson's first victory came in a 3-1/2 furlong dash, steering the two-year-old chestnut gelding to a 4-1/2 length trouncing of the two-year-old maidens.

He returned in the very next race to pilot four-year-old colt Seek the Noblest to a strong victory over the three-year-old upwards, going a mile.

Welch, the in-form rider this season, got his win in the day's last race with favourite Super Saver Girl when they chased down pace-setter Devil's Assassin to beat the three-year-old and upward maiden fillies and mares by half-length, over six furlongs.

The Northlands season started May 6 and runs until October 10.