PERFECT NEIGHBOUR (Orlando Bocachica) winning the Jamaica Derby on June 15 at Caymanas Park.

Champion trainer Wayne DaCosta will saddle as many as four horses for Saturday's 87th running of the Boom Jamaica St. Leger, the season's final classic, over 2000 metres at Caymanas Park, but his recent Derby winner PERFECT NEIGHBOUR will see a change of rider.

According to reports, American jockey Orlando Bocachica who rode PERFECT NEIGHBOUR to victory in the June-15 Vivobarefoot Derby, cannot make the trip back to Jamaica and owing to his unavailability, DaCosta has called up the 2011 champion jockey Dick Cardenas to partner the 3-y-o son of Natural Selection - Desperatehousewife.

When entries closed for the St. Leger at Caymanas Park last Saturday, 11 were received.

Among them were 2000 Guineas winner WILLIE GOLDSMITH, 1000 Guineas winner SELECTABOOK, Oaks heroine LADY ABHIJITA, Lotto Classic winner (Governor's Cup), Derby runner-up UNCLE TAF, the Derby third place ROYAL VIBES as well as HOVER CRAFT and RUM PUNCH.

A notable absentee is the beaten Derby favourite BIGMAN IN TOWN.

Trainer Gary Subratie, who is off the island, was unavailable for comment. However, a source close to the trainer indicated that 'BIGMAN', who was purchased by Trinidadian owner Baskaran Basswah for a record $3.4 million in the 2011 yearling sale, could soon be shipped off to Trinidad.

BIGMAN IN TOWN was a disappointing fourth in the Derby, was third in the 2000 Guineas and second to UNCLE TAF in the Governor's Cup.

There are other changes in riding plans for the St. Leger. The DaCosta-trained HOVER CRAFT, RUM PUNCH and ROYAL VIBES will be ridden by Shane Ellis, leading all-time jockey Winston 'Fanna' Griffiths and Clive Lynch respectively, while Andre Martin stays aboard the Owen Sharpe-trained UNCLE TAF, who won the Governor's Cup over this trip.

The filly LADY ABHIJITA will again have the services of her Oaks winning rider Paul 'Country' Francis, while WILLIE GOLDSMITH from the Patrick Chang stables will now have the services of leading jockey Omar Walker. And champion jockey Dane Nelson will switch to the Anthony 'Baba' Nunes-trained Nunes-trained filly SELECTABOOK.

BIGMAN IN TOWN ... out of St Leger. - file photos

Dick Cardenas