Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

NO TEAR, one of five winners for champion jockey Brian Harding, holds off JACK DE FREAK (Leo Miller) to win the eighth race (CTL series) over 1600 metres at Caymanas Park yesterday. NO TEAR won at odds of 6-1. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

CHAMPION JOCKEY Brian Harding dominated the action at Caymanas Park yesterday, thanks to a fabulous five-timer on the nine-race programme.

As a result, the seven-time Trinidadian champion has raced into a clear lead over ace lightweight Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry, who failed to ride a winner after starting the day joint leader with him on 56.

His winners were 1-2 favourite MYLEGACY for 14-time champion trainer Philip Feanny in the second race for three-year-old fillies, followed in quick succession by the 3-2 favourite ABSOLUTE STORMER for trainer Gary Subratie in the third for maiden three-year-olds and MUSIC MASTER at 7-1 in the fourth race, this for in-form trainer Garrett Arscott, to complete a hat-trick of wins.

Harding, 42, came back to win the seventh race aboard 3-5 favourite SUPER BOY, again for Subratie, before rounding off the five-timer in the very next race aboard 6-1 chance NO TEAR for owner/trainer Steadman Curtis.

Harding, who pushed his season's tally to 61 - five clear of Henry - disclosed that this was the second time he had notched five winners on local soil.

"On the first occasion I rode four winners and was awarded a fifth winner in the stewards' room," he said. As far as the championship is concerned, Harding says he is keeping things close to his chest and hoping for the best.

Interestingly, Harding and five-time champion Trevor Simpson, who rode three winners, almost accounted for all the races on the entire card. After the first eight races, no other jockey had managed to ride a winner, before Peter Bryan broke the deadlock by winning the closing race aboard 4-1 chance PRINCESSJACQUELINE.

Even-money favourite

Simpson won the first race aboard even-money favourite OUT OF THE BLUE, followed up aboard 8-5 chance ROYAL MALICE in the fifth and the Feanny-trained American filly FOUND IN THE MIST, a 6-5 favourite in the sixth, to finish the day in third on 52 wins.

NO TEAR, who was held just off the early pace set by 2-1 second favourite QUICK MEDIC and Simpson's mount HAPHAZARD, ran on strongly in the last furlong to win race No. 2 in the CTL Claiming series ($200,000 - $170,000) by a length from 5-1 chance JACK DE FREAK with HAPHAZARD at 9-2 finishing third in a field of 12.

The 9-5 favourite MY COLLATERAL ran no race at all to finish in eighth spot.

Meanwhile, the $8.8 million Pick-9 which eluded punters for eight consecutive race meets, was finally cornered by 18 punters, each receiving $490,814.50.

Thanks to a fantastic betting frenzy an hour or two before the first race, Pick-9 sales went through the roof. Owing to the large carryover ($5.8m), the exotic bet recorded sales of more than $5 million.