Walcott wins with No Hesitation

EDMONTON – Rico Walcott grabbed the headlines, when he steered No Hesitation to a 2 1/4-length tally in the CAN $50 000 Western Canada Handicap on Saturday at Northlands Park.The Barbadian jockey’s second stakes victory for the season was part of a double, and increased his aggregate for the season to 19, which keeps him third in the jockeys’ championship behind compatriot Quincy Welch (25) and Anthony Salgado (20).Walcott pushed the 7-5 favourite, and the three-year-old, grey colt, to finish in a nippy one minute, 11 4/5 seconds, just outside of the track record.Walcott had opened the programme with a 1 1/4-length victory astride 12-5 favourite Salty Time in the CAN $14 000 first race going 700m.Salty Time, a two-year-old, dark bay colt, finished in 40 3/5 secs, after stalking the pace on the rail, rallying three wide, and closing steadily.Walcott could have had a third win on the programme, but he was disqualified for interference in the CAN $12 700 seventh race, which he won aboard Pure First.Welch also got into the frame with the 1.35-1 favourite King Kwai, which won the CAN $6 800 sixth race over 1 300m by two lengths.King Kwai, a four-year-old, dark bay gelding, duelled on the rail, but rallied in the upper stretch, and held well to cross the line in 1 min, 19 1/5 secs. (CMC)