Allpress back in style as women jockeys dominate
FORMER New Zealand champion jockey Lisa Allpress showed she has lost none of her class after being out of the saddle for five months with five winners at Riccarton on Saturday.
Allpress was raceriding for only the second time since October after returning from a shoulder injury sustained in a jumpout that month.
The twotime premiership winner made her return at Waipukurau on Thursday before her bag of five wins at Riccarton.
Her haul on Saturday included victory in the group 3 South Island Breeders’ Stakes with northern mare La Fille En Jeu.
Allpress controlled the $80,000 1600m feature in front before letting the Nigel Aurettrained mare down for a strong win.
Elfee charged home to run second, less than half a length from the winner, ahead of third placegetter Flying Sardine.
Star Otago mare Coulee disappointed in her attempt to win a third consecutive South Island Breeders Stakes when finishing ninth.
Allpress also scored wins with Final Say (race 2), Going To War (race 4), Taxihome (race 5) and Opihi Jade race 6).
The only blemish on her remarkable day came when she sustained a fourday riding suspension as a result of illegally shifting ground on Taxihome.
Allpress, Courtney Barnes (2), Tina Comignaghi and Alysha Collett won nine of the 10 races on the Riccarton card. At the previous Canterbury meeting at Ashburton on March 15, women jockeys won all seven races on the programme.
Their run of 16 consecutive wins in the province ended when Classic Warrior won race 10 for rider BB Hong.
Saturday’s Hororata Cup (1800m) was won by the Kevin and Pam Hughestrained Son Of Zac, with Barnes the jockey.
The open 1200m sprint was won by trainer Terri Rae’s Kolonel Kev with Alysha Collett in the saddle.