By Ainsley Walters, Staff Reporter
CYCLOPS streaks home under apprentice Marklee Buchanan to win yesterday's 1500-metre Joshua Morrison Memorial feature race at Caymanas Park by 4 1/2 lengths. Cyclops was one of two winners for trainer Desmond Shand. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
FORMER CHAMPION jockey Wesley Henry yesterday reminded leading apprentice Paul Francis he was still in the race for second place in the jockeys' championship, out-battling the hot rider in the 1820-metre third event with a stirring win aboard Desmond Shand's INCORPORATE.
In front from the start of the circular nine race, Henry, who sat out last Saturday's card with 'pink eye', repelled a sustained challenge from Francis-ridden REAL RISK from five furlongs out to last home by a neck with 3-5 favourite TO SIR WITH LOVE a further head away in a three-way photo.
INCORPORATE, running at odds of 7-2, was one of two winners for Shand, who rounded off his double with the Marklee Buchanan-ridden CYCLOPS in the 1500m Joshua Morrison Memorial Cup feature race.
Still one winner ahead of Henry in the battle for the runner-up spot in the jockeys' title race, Francis ended the day on 42 wins after his romp aboard SOUTHERN DANCER in the 1000m straight ninth race.
However, Henry excited punters who braved the rains at Caymanas Park to out-duel the apprentice earlier in the afternoon to level the score at 41 with a thrilling ride aboard INCORPORATE.
A furlong out it appeared as if REAL RISK, running on lasix for the first time, would have swept past INCORPORATE in a close-quarter stretch duel but Henry kept his mount going just off the rail, flaying away with left-handed whipping to steal home by a neck.
TO SIR WITH LOVE, outpaced by the duo down the backstretch, straightened third and came with a charging run at the leaders when switched wide a furlong out. The 3-5 favourite made up tremendous ground but arrived late, coming out worst in the three-way photo finish.
REID SHINES
Later in the afternoon, CYCLOPS made hacks of his eight rivals in the Joshua Morrison Memorial at odds of 8-5, disputing the lead with 6-5 favourite REGAL WISDOM before pulling off swinging into the stretch run to win by 4 1/2 lengths.
Veteran lightweight jockey Robert Reid emerged the day's top rider with a two-timer, SEXY in the fourth at 1400m at 8-5 and 10-1 outsider PRINCESS ALEXANDRA in the sixth at 1500m.
Reid won both races with his trademark finish, powerful last-furlong runs outside of rivals, especially PRINCESS ALEXAN-DRA, who fell on 24-1 shot PRIME SUSPECT like a ton of bricks near the wire.
The day's Overnight Allow-ance event was won in convincing fashion by Percy Hussey's CAT PRINCE at 1000m straight. The American-bred colt disputed the lead with LADY HYDERABAD before streaking away for a 58.2 win, eased down over the final 50m.
