Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

THE 15-1 chance ALPHA LUPA was produced with a late flourish by champion jockey Brian Harding to win the L.C. McKenzie Memorial Cup overnight allowance feature over 1400 metres in a driving finish from highly fancied HOUDINI AGAIN at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Outpaced in the early stages as hat-trick seeker, HOUDINI AGAIN (5-2), under leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths, led comfortably from CHOSEN ONE (19-1) and RISTO-CAT (8-1) in a a field of 12. The grey ALPHA LUPA coupled up nicely from the half mile, advancing smoothly into fourth passing the 600-metre marker.

She was still lying fourth when HOUDINI AGAIN turned for home a length ahead of pesky CHOSEN ONE. But with the Feanny-trained American colt HOUDINI AGAIN responding nicely to the whip and resisting a strong challenge from the ever-present CHOSEN ONE leaving the furlong pole, it was left to ALPHA LUPA to reel him in, the American 4-y-o filly closing hand over fist (outside) in the last 100 metres to lead close to home, winning by half a length.

CHOSEN ONE finished a farther 3 1/4 lengths away third, while fourth went to the 6-5 favourite JACK DE PRINCE, who ruined his chances by walking out of the starting gate and was hopelessly tailed off for the first half of the race.

There was a lengthy stewards' inquiry into the running of the race, the end result being fifth-past-the-post RISTO-CAT disqualified for causing multiple interference in the backstretch.

ALPHA LUPA is trained by Anthony 'Baba' Nunes for his wife, Tara. It was the filly's first win from seven starts this season.

Earlier in the afternoon, the sparingly-used jockey Garfield Gordon rode a copybook race aboard 9-5 favourite NATURAL SELECTOR to win the mile and quarter renewal of the W. 'Billy' Pick Memorial Cup (claiming $290,000 - $260,000) by all of nine lengths.

Gordon, who is popularly called 'Midget', notched up his first winner at Caymanas Park in 11 years.

Once a popular apprentice, having graduated from the Jockeys' School in 1992 along with batchmates Clive Lynch and Paul Ramsay, Gordon said his previous winner was FLYING EAGLE in 1995. He had stopped riding all together since 1999 and only renewed his licence earlier this season.

NATURAL SELECTOR is owned by Delroy Ellis and trained by Ralph Porter.

TRIPLES FOR HENRY, SIMPSON

Meanwhile, leading jockey Trevor Simpson (Desires Of The Sea, Ramada, Jet Blaster) and title contender Wesley 'Callaloo' Henry (Sayonara, Meteor Man, True Sensation) shared the riding honours with three winners each, while owners S.A.C. also posted a triple comprising SAYONARA for trainer Norman Rose, METEOR MAN and TRUE SENSATION, both for trainer Victor Williams in the fifth and seventh races, respectively.

Simpson leads the standings with 41 winners ­ two ahead of Harding in second, closely followed by Henry and Charles Hussey on 38 each.

Midweek racing takes a break this week to pave the way for the season's final classic, the St. Leger next Saturday.