Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
DON'T STAY NAKED, one of two winners for lightweight jockey Wesley henry, holds off the well-backed POLISH MARKET (left) with Richard Robertson astride, to win the 10th race over 1600 metres for native bred three-year-olds at Caymanas Park on Saturday. Don't Stay Naked was one of four winners for trainer, Wayne DaCosta. - PHOTOS BY CARLINGTON WILMOT/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
ALTHOUGH SECURING less appealing rides than his arch-rival, champion jockey Trevor 'Slicer' Simpson upstaged seven-time Trinidadian champion Brian Harding in their intriguing tussle for the 2005 jockeys' championship, at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
Starting the day two adrift of the leader Simpson, Harding drew first blood with an easy victory aboard 7-5 favourite QUERIDA in the second race over 1200 metres for maiden three-year-olds.
However, in the very next race, Simpson booted home 5-2 chance MORGAN'S RENEGADE for leading trainer Wayne DaCosta, his former Guv'nor.
MORGAN'S RENEGADE ran on strongly, beating the short-priced favourite ALPHA LUPA (Harding up) who was backed as if defeat was out of the question.
Simpson then tightened the screws on Harding with a post-to-post runaway win aboard the Philip Feanny-trained two-year-old colt MITAKA for
popular owner Louis Phillips, in the TOBA/Stallion Stakes Series No. 2 over 1200 metres.
In the end, 'Slicer' capped a fine day with a decisive victory aboard the Richard Azan trained even-money favourite ROYAL COMMAND in the Calvin O'Sullivan Memorial Cup over the circular nine course, leading home Harding on 16-1 chance UNLEADED.
As things now stand, Simpson has pushed his season's tally to 60, while Harding moved to 56.
Simpson is taking nothing for granted:
"I had a close fight with Andrew Ramgeet when I won my first championship in 1989 and know what it takes to deliver," he recalls.
"Harding is a champion in his own right in Trinidad and Tobago and also knows what it takes. But I am focused to the task and have every confidence in my ability to pull it off, barring injury or suspensions," added the five-time champion.
PROFESSIONAL DIFFERENCES
It's still a horse race though, but if Simpson and DaCosta can mend their professional differences, which has caused a rift between them since last May, and reconnect for old-time sake, then Simpson would be the closest thing to a racing certainty to win his fourth consecutive title and sixth overall.
Since the rift between them became evident, Simpson has ridden only twice for DaCosta - GATLIN who finished third in a claiming race late last month and MORGAN'S RENEGADE on Saturday.
Harding, on the other hand, can look to trainers Anthony 'Baba' Nunes and Gary Subratie (among others) to consistently feed him with live rides. Of course he is stable jockey to Nunes who has
been churning out the winners almost every raceday.
Subratie, meanwhile, has seen his string of horses grow in recent weeks, as horses from a certain yard has been transferred to his stables. He now trains in excess of 30 horses and with a number of winners expected to come from this quarter in the months ahead, Harding should still be in the race where it matters.
In other news on the track, thanks to a stunning upset by CAT LEGEND at 21-1 in the eighth race, both the Pick-9 and second Super-6 eluded punters.
As a result, the Pick-9 offers a carryover of $1 million, this after 33 punters with seven of nine received $2,873.50.
The Super-6 saw 33 punters with five of six each receiving $5,245.50.
The carryover to Saturday's meet - $519,291.00.
