Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
HARDING
CHAMPION JOCKEY Brian Harding continued to make inroads on the leaders in the jockeys' standings thanks to a sparkling three-timer at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Among his winners was the 2-1 second favourite DON LIMPIO for trainer Barbadian owner Elias Haloute and trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes in the open allowance feature for the Zaleucus Trophy over 1800 metres.
Harding rode a copybook race aboard the American bred 4-y-o gelding, saving ground on the inside in the seven-horse field and pushing out his mount ferociously in the last furlong to win by a neck from long-time leader CHADMAN (8-1) under title-chasing jockey Wesley Henry and the 4-5 favourite SEATTLE'S GIRL with five-time champion Trevor Simpson astride, finishing another half a length away third in a blanket finish.
The Wayne DaCosta-trained American horse CHADMAN tried to make all, leading under pressure from top weight SEATTLE'S GIRL and EXPLOSIVE PEAK (4-1) with DON LIMPIO racing close up in fourth inside.
CHADMAN turned for home under pressure from EXPLOSIVE PEAK on the outside (wide) and in a three-cornered tussle with DON LIMPIO on the inside and SEATTLE'S GIRL on the wide outside, failed to hold a determined DON LIMPIO at bay from midway through the last furlong, but went down fighting.
This marked the second consecutive raceday that Harding was riding a triple, having achieved same on the previous Saturday when capping a fine day aboard easy winner RANSOM MAN in the Digicel Derby.
In addition to DON LIMPIO, Harding won the fourth race over the straight course aboard the Nunes-trained 9-5 favourite RING OF FIRE in a tremendous three-way photo finish with PRINCESS SUE and CHARMING LUTHER, as well as 6-5 favourite WHITE WATER in the sixth to push his season's tally to 31.
This puts him a close fourth in the standings to long-time leader Charles Hussey (36) who failed to ride a winner on the 11-race programme. Henry and Simpson share second on 34 wins each. Simpson rode two winners in 3-5 favourite HOOKEDONJAZZ and 2-1 favourite ALL FIRED UP in the first and last races respectively, but Henry, like Hussey, failed to ride a winner.
With little to choose among the top four at this stage, the race for the 2006 jockeys' title promises to be intense in the months ahead.
Elsewhere on the programme, the Dennis Lee-trained CORDITE (6-1, Paul Francis up) romped home in the second running of the Sports Journalists of Jamaica Trophy over 1200 metres (claiming $290,000 - $260,000), while 12-1 chance LE CHIC, ridden by Oneil Mullings for seven-time champion trainer Kenneth Mattis, ran through in the last furlong to win the inaugural running of the Master Blaster Trophy over the straight five course.
