HOOP LOST FOR WORDS
JOCKEY Jamie Kah was left speechless after claiming her first Group 1 win guiding Harlem to a second successive victory in the Australian Cup at Flemington.
Kah, who came second on Michael Hickmott’s gelding Lieder in the 2018 Darwin Cup, dominated South Australian racing in recent seasons before making the move across the border in January to fulfil her dream of winning a Group 1.
That arrived yesterday when $31 chance Harlem fought back to defeat Shillelagh ($18) by a short halfhead, with Trap For Fools ($15) a length away third.
“I’m speechless. That is just the best feeling in the world,” Kah said. Now based at Cranbourne, Kah regularly makes the trip to Lindsay Park at Euroa to ride work for Harlem’s trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig.
“I didn’t expect anything massive straight away so I tried to get to Euroa as much as I could and whenever they wanted me for jump-outs,” Kah said. “And it’s paid off. “They supported me in Adelaide and asked when I was coming over here.”
Harlem’s first Australian Cup win followed the second Newmarket Handicap win for stablemate Redkirk Warrior last year.
Redkirk Warrior was attempting a third victory in the sprint yesterday, but after beating only one runner home he’s been retired to Living Legends.
Despite his long price, Lindsay Park thought Harlem was the stable’s best hope. “He showed incredible fight, he was beaten twice and kicked back,” David Hayes said.