Take the lead in frantic duel with alpha (4,5)

I believe the answer is:

pull ahead

'take the lead' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'frantic duel with alpha' is the wordplay.
'frantic' indicates an anagram (I've seen this in other clues).
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'duel'+'alpha'='duelalpha'
'duelalpha' with letters rearranged gives 'PULL AHEAD'.

'in' is the link.

(Another definition for pull ahead that I've seen is " Move into the lead".)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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