Wesley Henry winning aboard POWER CRACKER at Caymanas Park yesterday. - colin hamilton

portmore (cmc):

Former champion jockey Wesley Henry rode three winners yesterday and sliced into Trinidadian Brian Harding's lead in their battle for Jamaica's 2006 jockeys' title at Caymanas Park.

Henry landed the featured Pringle Cup race on the mid-week card and added wins in the fourth and 10th races while Harding had a blank day.

With five race days remaining in the racing season, defending champion Harding has 89 wins, six ahead of Henry (83) in what could be a tight finish to the riders' title race.

In the J$500,000 (US$7,470) Pringle Cup, Henry piloted the 5-to-2 bet Charming Luther to victory by three quarters of a length.

Charming Luther, trained by Richard Azan for owners New Blue Limited, covered the 5 1/2 furlong sprint in one minute 06.4 seconds.

The 3-5 favourite Double Bow, with Trevor Simpson riding, was third.

Henry, the 1997 champion rider at Caymanas Park, also won the fourth race aboard the 8-5 bet Sharmi My Love by 5 1/4 lengths and he steered Power Cracker (7-2) to a 1 1/2 length victory in the 10th race.

Harding, who rode 109 winners here last year for his first championship win outside of his native Trinidad and Tobago, went closest to a victory in the 11th race, placing second by a head astride Light My Fire.

Top Jockeys in Jamaica

1 Brian Harding 89 wins

2 Wesley Henry 83

3 Trevor Simpson 70

4 Charles Hussey 61

5 Oneil Mullings 51

6 Paul Francis 50

7 Dane Nelson 35

8 Carlton Malcolm 22

9 Richard Mitchell 20

10 Larris Allen 16