Brian Boodramsingh is celebrating a ninth jockeys’ championship title in Trinidad and Tobago after missing almost six months of the racing year while on a stint in Canada.

On Tuesday’s Boxing Day card, the final day of the Trinidad and Tobago racing year, Boodramsingh rode three winners to survive a “tough battle” with apprentice Tristan Phillips. He achieved another championship feat with 14 wins, one ahead of Phillips and Dillon Khelawan in the 14-meet racing year.

“It was good to come back and win the championship. I believed that I could, and the trainer and owners gave me what was needed,” said Boodramsingh.

With the battle between the top three being tense throughout the race card, Boodramsingh snatched the title with victory aboard the 3-5 favourite Theory of Colours in the final race of the year, decisively edging Phillips’ mount Alpha Cetauri (5-1) by a length in a title-clinching result.

“I must thank my trainer John O’Brien for his kindness and skill in getting his horses ready to perform in the manner that they did. I thank everyone, the grooms for their support in my venture. My first two winners were easy, but I had to ride for my final victory,” Boodramsingh noted.

This was fifth-consecutive title. Boodramsingh also rode 21 winners on his just over five-month stint in Canada, where he rode predominantly at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, with some brief trips to Century Mile in Edmonton.