Rosie at the double
WA jockey secures honours in apprentice series at Bay
West Australian apprentice Rosie Mahony is unlikely to forget her first day’s riding in Darwin, as she won each race in the National Apprentice Race Series at Fannie Bay.
Based in Albany with host trainer Steve Wolfe, Mahony – in the final year of her apprenticeship – was in unstoppable form on Friday.
She drove Chris Pollard’s Bart’s Bullet home for a narrow win in Heat 7, while she teamed with champion trainer Gary Clarke to carry off Heat 8 aboard impressive newcomer Spaceship.
Bart’s Bullet dropped back in the 1300m event, while the Phil Cole trio of Ye Hella,
Turnstar and Supremo held sway. NT apprentice Jade Hampson stalked the trio aboard The Stifmeister, and soon after straightening, burst through to take the lead.
But Bart’s Bullet sprouted wings to nab his rival on the line to win by a half neck. Supremo was a length and a quarter back third.
Spaceship was backed as if unbeatable in the eighth heat, and after sitting off stablemate Magnetic Tycoon, Mahony applied the pressure on the home turn and the son of Invader bolted clear to score easily by five lengths from Whitten (Hampson), with Meant For Mars third.
“Rosie did a great job on Spaceship. She came and rode some trackwork this morning to familiarise herself with the track, and to win on both her rides today is a credit to her,” Clarke said:
A beaming Mahony, 24, said: “I couldn’t have wished for a better day. I am very thankful to Peter Hall (jockey coach) and the trainers I rode for today. It has been an unbelievable experience.”
She has now ridden 66 winners in her career.
WA moved into contention for the NARS, which ends with two races at Doomben on Wednesday.
South Australia leads with 37 points, followed by the NT with 31, Tasmania and WA on 25 and Queensland bringing up the rear with 10.
Clarke, who has been based in Alice Springs for the past several weeks for the Red Centre Carnival, wasted no time returning to the winners’ box since coming back to Darwin when Bel Suono saluted in the first of the day, the ROANT Handicap (1100m).
With stable rider Jarrod Todd in the saddle, Bel Suono was chased hard by Stars The Limit, who looked a winning chance at the 100m only to die on his run.
The winning margin was three-quarters of a length, with the same margin to Adelaide River in third. It was Clarke’s 36th winner of the season in the Top End.
The 11-time champion trainer made it 37 when Desert
Dreamer (Aaron Sweeney) finished doggedly along the inside to score in the Vale John Russell Handicap (1100m).
Desert Dreamer won by a half-length from Siakam, with the same margin to Hamlet Von Snitzel.
Visiting South Australian apprentice Jade Doyle guided Swing With Junior to a tough win in the Anzac Day Races 25 April Handicap (1200m).
Trained and owned by Chloe Baxter, Swing With Junior beat Captain George by a short head. Pocket Pistol was a gallant third.
Doyle, 25, an Alice Springs native, now calls South Australia home and was winning her first race in the Top End from limited opportunities.