Talented women lead way
IT was girls’ day at Gordonvale, though one “cantankerous” horse wasn’t in the mood for handing out gifts.
Jockeys Emily Cass, Amanda Thomson and Sonja Wiseman shared four of the five winners on Saturday in a big tick to the booming numbers among the fairer sex.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Cass, with the young apprentice nearly coming undone while mounting Kamarah before the feature race.
The galloper has a reputation for ill-discipline and spectacularly rejected Cass’s attempt to get in the saddle.
Ironically, Trevor Rowe’s troublesome galloper is known for only behaving when a female is on board.
The drama, which left Cass with slight burns to her arm but otherwise unharmed, rounded out Kamarah’s career in a fittingly strange way.
After 100 starts, connections have opted to retire the nine-year-old grey after more than $100,000 in winnings.
Kamarah will today be shifted to Wiseman’s property, where a career in show jumping awaits.
“He has been a good horse but a pain,” Rowe said.
“He’s been a good horse to train but a pain in the backside at the same time.
“He’s still sound but we could tell by his mood that he’s telling us he’s had enough.
“But he is one horse who always liked the female touch and Sonja always got the best out of him.
“It’s a shame she couldn’t ride him in his last race ... but she will take good care of him now.”
Other than Cass’s fall, it was all about the females at Gordonvale.
“Full marks to the girls,” Gordonvale Cup-winning trainer Glen Baker said.
“They put in a lot of hard work and they are getting the result of it now.”
Rowe said the emergence of star female hoops down south would only foster further growth.
“It’s always been a maledominated sport but the females coming through now ride quite well,” he said. “I find they are sometimes more gentle and a woman’s touch is needed for some horses.”