Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
CORDITE, ridden by Wesley Henry, sprints clear of the field to romp home in yesterday's 1600-metre eighth race at Caymanas Park for Race Four in Series One of the CTL Claiming Series. Henry rode a three-timer on the nine-race card. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
TITLE-CHASING jockey Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry highlighted yesterday's nine-race programme at Caymanas Park with three winners, including 3-5 favourite CORDITE in race No. 4 of the CTL claiming series over 1600 metres.
Henry also won aboard the lightly raced 4-y-o gelding HE'SLOOKINGGOOD who steamrolled opponents in the fourth race for maidens as the 1-5 favourite and SWEET JADE, a 3-5 favourite in the closing race.
The Patrick Chang-trained HE'SLOOKINGOOD, running on Lasix for the first time, provided Henry with an armchair ride (made most) over 1500 metres.
The bay colt by Sir Lal Bahadur out of La Rae turned for home with a commanding lead and, although eased in the closing stages, won by the resounding margin of 20 3/4 lengths from the well-backed, second favourite DESIRES OF THE SEA (3-1).
In contrast, Michael Beecham's SWEET JADE got up on the line to pip highly fancied SIMPLY AWESOME by a neck in the $160,000 conditional claimer over 1400 metres.
In the CTL feature, CORDITE disputed the early lead before going about his business from the half mile in a field of 11. He turned for home three lengths clear of ISLAND CIGAR and the 5-2 second favourite RED GENERAL and found another gear approaching the distance to win going away, beating RED GENERAL by 6 1/2 lengths in the fairly good time of 1:41.4.
CORDITE is owned by Jockey's Enterprise and trained by Rowan Mathie.
The eight-year-old gelding by Irish Quest out of the Exotic Traveller mare Runaway Native has now won three races from four starts this season.
POPULAR CLAIM
Not surprisingly, as many as seven claims were submitted for CORDITE as he proved a popular claim. He was taken by trainer Steadman Curtis for $170,000.
Henry thus pushed his season's tally to 26, only three adrift of the leader Charles Hussey who failed to ride a winner on the card.
Former champion jockey Trevor Simpson remaining locked in third with Oneil Mullings, both having ridden one winner each.
Simpson booted home the Phillip Feanny-trained 4-5 favourite FIRE WORKS to move to 18, the same as Mullings who won the opening race aboard 1-9 padded favourite GOLDEN LOUISE in a driving finish from 4-1 chance MISS CODY BANK.
Champion jockey Brian Harding also notched a win to move to 15, this aboard the Ken Mattis-trained 1-2 favourite MISS TWIST in the second race over 1200 metres for maiden three-year-olds.
