Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer 
HAFIFA (right) is hard driven by former champion jockey Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry to win the Royal Crest Trophy, the 1200-metre feature race, in a driving finish from SAYONARA (Shane Ellis) at Caymanas Park yesterday. The winner, a 5-2 chance, is owned and trained by Richard Azan. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
SEVEN-TIME Trinidadian champion jockey Brian Harding all but ended the reign of Jamaican champion jockey Trevor Simpson when he rode four winners at Caymanas Park yesterday to widen his lead to eight over his arch rival.
Simpson, who experienced another miserable day in the saddle following no winners on the previous Saturday, could only manage one winner in even-money favourite RAZZAK, this in the fifth race over 1300.
Harding thus pushed his season's tally to 104 after winning aboard the 3-5 favourite VELOCITY for trainer Tensang Chung in the first race over 1200 metres, even money favourite RING OF FIRE in the third for maiden two-year-olds, LIBERTADOR at 3-1 in the fourth (again for Chung) and the 3-5 favourite JETLYN'S DRAMA (8th race) for champion trainer-designate Wayne DaCosta who saddled three winners on the card.
STRUGGLING
Simpson, meanwhile, was left struggling on 96 with only two racedays remaining the Boxing Day meet on December 27 and next Saturday, December 31.
From all indications, the man called 'Slicer' has failed in his bid to win his fourth consecutive title and his sixth overall, despite having secured 10 rides on Boxing Day, six of which could be described as "live" rides. But he requires nine winners in two days to beat Harding who himself has cornered some good rides on the programme.
As one leading trainer summed it up yesterday:
"Theoretically, Simpson has a chance. But realistically it's the end of the road for him. He had a long reign and gave it his best shot this year. But right now him salt ... look at what happened to him in the second race when his mount JEDI ROCKET whipped around and decked him at the start. I think his breakup with Wayne DaCosta early in the year contributed greatly to his defeat".
Harding rode RING OF FIRE for his guv'nor, trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes, his 62nd winner of the season. Significantly, the dark bay filly by Alisios out of Ringleader is owned by Barbados-based Elias Haloute who is locked in a fight with Alexander Haber for the owners' champion.
NARROW MARGIN
At the start of the day Haber led narrowly with $11.7 million in stakes, while Haloute was less than $500,000 behind in second. Both had a winner yesterday Haber (Jetlyn's Drama), Haloute (Ring Of Fire) but by virtue of having two placed horses in LA REINA (second) and RESTORIA'S SECRET (fourth), Haloute has closed about $150,000 on his rival.
Meanwhile, the day's feature for the Royal Crest Trophy over 1200 metres, this confined to three-year-olds, was won by the speedy HAFIFA (5-2), ridden by in-form Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry for owner/trainer Richard Azan.
HAFIFA, who had to repel a strong last furlong challenge from 5-1 chance SAYONARA with Shane Ellis up, took over the lead from the 9-5 favourite ROYAL SEA at the half mile and held on by a neck in gutsy fashion. ASTRO CRUNCH (17-1) and ROYAL SEA completed the frame in a field of 10, all non-winners of three.
