Emily Farr gets home in hurdle
Emily Farr was destined to have a memorable weekend.
It was the weekend when she realised her riding skills were in demand.
It was made more memorable for the Cambridge apprentice jockey by wins on two of New Zealand’s best jumpers.
‘‘I’ve never had three days like this before and as an apprentice, to have the support of owners and trainers around me is great,’’ Farr said as she prepared for the first of her rides at Waverley on Friday.
Farr, 25, fully justified the wellearned support utilising her talent to win the $50,000 Hawke’s Bay Hurdle on her first race ride aboard Just Got Home.
She joined two jumps jockey greats Tina Egan and Shelley Houston as females to win the prestige jumping race.
‘‘I’ve ridden Just Got Home in a flat trial and luckily they wanted someone who had ridden him before – he can be a bit tricky to ride with his high head car- riage,’’ Farr said.
Just Got Home’s trainer Rudy Liefting rated Farr’s ride 10 out of 10.
She had the 8-year-old travelling sweetly in behind the pace and eased out to make her challenge at the top of the straight.
The battle was on and fearless Farr asked Just Got Home for a winning leap at the last and he responded.
‘‘He was just amazing over the last, I asked for a big one and he gave it!’’ Farr said. ‘‘He gave me a lovely ride, he’s incredible, it was a massive thrill and it’s a privilege to ride a horse like him.’’
Ooee fought on for second Wee Biskit third and Thenamesbond fourth. Just Got Home, who was bred by Liefting from his former high quality race filly Justa Tad, and will front for the next hurdle feature, the Wellington Hurdle in a fortnight.
Now in her fourth season of riding in New Zealand, Farr made her mark as a jumps jockey before signing up for an apprenticeship last autumn.
Her partner is jumps jockey Shaun Phelan and Farr is indentured to his father Craig Phelan.
She is mixing flat and jumps riding and has shed 4 to 5kg to optimise opportunities.
Apart from her busy weekend of travelling to take her 18 rides, the hardest part was lumping the lead-laden riding gear she needed for her jumps rides, particularly Amanood Lad who carried 71kg at Te Aroha.
Farr was thrilled to gain the ride on the dual McGregor Grant and Great Northern Steeplechase winner for trainer Ben Foote.
Amanood Lad had to settle for second behind Phelan on Goosebumps in the restricted open steeplechase but Farr won aboard Raisafuasho earlier in the day.
Hasting’s second prestige jumping race on Saturday provided tough customer Mr Mor with back-to-back wins in the $50,000 Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase.
Under pressure with a round to go in the 4800m race, he responded to the urgings of jockey Michael Mitchell to reel in Brer after the last of 21 jumps to win.
Mr Mor’s Whanganui trainers Evan and JJ Rayner will send the 11-year-old to Trentham for the Wellington Steeplechase looking for a repeat of last year’s win.