Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
( L - R ) HENRY, HARDING, SIMPSON and HUSSEY
TREVOR 'SLICER' Simpson assumed the lead from Charles Hussey in the jockeys' standings at Caymanas Park on Saturday to set the stage for a straight fight between himself and reigning champion Brian Harding during the second half of the season.
Simpson assumed sole leadership after riding two winners in SUN TANNED TOES and ASTRO CRUNCH in the first and seventh races to move to 38 wins.
This is two clear of long-time leader Hussey and Harding jointly in second, and four ahead of title-chasing lightweight Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry who was left stranded on 34.
FAILEDTO RIDE WINNER
Both Henry and Hussey failed to ride a winner on the 10-race card.
A month ago, it appeared that Hussey had a good chance of going all the way. However, the situation has changed dramatically in recent weeks as the winners have dried up a bit for the four-time champion and to a lesser extent the 1997 champion Henry, while Simpson and Harding have closed in rapidly on them.
Harding missed the first five weeks of the season while riding in Trinidad and Tobago.
As things now stand, it will be difficult for Hussey to get back into the race.
He will definitely need to take more than three or four rides per day against Simpson and Harding who generally secure an average of seven rides per day.
TOP LIGHTWEIGHT
Hussey goes for quality, but to beat either Simpson or Harding it will require quantity as well.
Henry, on the other hand, has established himself as the top lightweight jockey at Caymanas Park and can corner six or seven rides on any given raceday due to his ability to ride winners on a consistent basis.
However, the problem with 'Callaloo' is that he is not getting the genuine 'soup rides' (like Harding and Simpson) and his agent will need to go that extra mile in the months ahead.
Indications are it will come down to Harding and Simpson, who won three consecutive titles in 2002, 2003 and 2004, only to be upstaged by his arch-rival in 2005.
Simpson, a five-time champion, definitely has the skill and the determination to win back the title.
It was the general belief that he lost out to Harding last year owing to his break-up with champion trainer Wayne DaCosta in the first half of the season. Add to that his numerous suspensions for foul riding and you get the general picture.
GET SUPPORT
The question is: Will Simpson get the support from the owners and trainer who count?
He seems to have cleaned up his act (proper riding) this season and seems focused on the task.
Harding, on the other hand, has chalked up 11 winners in the past fortnight and is going great guns since teaming up with top jockeys' agent Donovan Wilson on June 1.
He also has a powerful stable (Anthony Nunes) behind him and to many of the smaller trainers, seems to be the go-to guy at present.
Note his recent riding coup in securing Derby winner RANSOM MAN and 'Horse of the Year' MIRACLE MAN.
