Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

WITH WESLEY 'Callaloo' Henry having closed the gap appreciably last Saturday, leading jockey Brian Harding emerged from his slumber to boot home three winners at Caymanas Park yesterday.

They were 6-5 favourite MUSICAL MAESTRO in the seventh race for open allowance horses over the straight five course, the 8-5 favourite TALLAWAH in the Flossie McNeil Memorial Cup feature over 1200 metres for three-year-old fillies and stable companion MARINERO, a 4-5 favourite, in the closing straight five race.

Henry, meanwhile, failed to ride a winner from seven rides on the card, enabling Harding (81 wins), the champion jockey, to extend his lead to seven with 10 race days remaining in 2006.

The Dwight Chen-trained MUSICAL MAESTRO turned in a track record-breaking run in the seventh race over the straight five course, covering the distance in a new mark of 56.1 (wind assisted) behind splits of 22.1, 44.3 to lower the previous record set by FLYING TIGER in January of last year by one-fifth of a second.

Toting top weight of 57kg, MUSICAL MAESTRO was outpaced a bit in third for the first half of the race, as the fleet-footed DOUBLE BOW (3-2) enjoyed a good lead over CHARMING LUTHER coming on to the main track.

But the lightly-weighted DOUBLE BOW, under in-form apprentice Jason Simpson, was to prove no match for MUSICAL MAESTRO, who got into top gear and swept by midway through the last furlong for a decisive win.

MUSICAL MAESTRO, who failed by just over a length to catch RAMPAGE in the recent Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint, has won two of his past three races. He is a four-year-old chestnut gelding by Royal Minister out of 1000 Guineas winner Melissa's Song, owned by Howard Hamilton, and bred by Victor McFarlane.

Scrambled home

Harding's guv'nr, trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, posted a three-timer as well, comprising 7-5 favourite CALABASH BAY who scrambled home by a short head from PURE MUD the first race, TALLAWAH who also won by a short head from the fast-finishing FIRE D TRAINER, and MARINERO.

TALLAWAH, who was racing for the first time since the 1000 Guineas on April 1, was ridden to chase the leader WHITE DIAMOND in the day's feature, before going through entering the straight. But she had to be driven out in the closing stages, just lasting from the Feanny-trained FIRE D TRANER (6-1) with apprentice Oral Bennett aboard.

The 2-1 favourite PURE JUSTICE made most for an impressive victory in race No. 5 of the CTL Claiming Series over 1200 metres, winning by 7 1/4 lengths from WINDJAMMER.

Owned and trained by Neive Graham, PURE JUSTICE was ridden by Paul 'Country' Francis who along with Jason Simpson rode two winners each.