Fancy Man takes out the Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm
The extravagant salute said it all.
Apprentice Bailey Wheeler has been having a ball recently riding winner after winner and his salute on the Annabel Neasham trained Fancy Man in the featured Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm where he was $7 with the leading online betting agencies was just part of a continuation of that run of success, although Wheeler’s reaction as he took Fancy Man through the line underlined the particular pleasure he obviously felt at landing another feature race victory.
It was a peach of a ride from Wheeler and it brought up a double for the young rider on the day after he had earlier claimed victory on the Stuart Kendrick trained Pocket Full.
Those results would have pushed the unfortunate false start Wheeler had to the day to a distance memory and it is a credit to Wheeler’s mental toughness that the unhappy hiccup that surrounded the running of the first race did not have any lingering negative impact on Wheeler once he was able to set about doing his job.
Wheeler, a 3kg claiming apprentice in town, did not make it to the track in time to take his mount on the Kendrick trained Lost In Transit in the opening race on the card.
As a consequence, Wheeler was replaced on Lost In Transit by Justin Huxtable, an equally competent rider but one without the advantage of that 3kg claim, meaning that Lost In Transit had to carry 57.5kg instead of the 54.5kg he would have done with Wheeler in the saddle, a statistic which arguably ultimately played a part in the outcome with the son of Speith, who was bidding for a fifth straight win, only being denied by a narrow margin.
“He did owe me one from missing the earlier one,” said Kendrick, speaking after Wheeler had taken Pocket Full to back-to-back wins in a case of all’s well that ends well.
With Wheeler adding a Metropolitan double to the treble he rode last Saturday, he has now edged marginally past Cejay Graham (who also had a winner … Preached … on the day) in the Brisbane Apprentice Jockey’s Premiership to lead that chase by 16.5 wins to 16 wins.
Early days, but it is currently a fascinating cut and thrust battle between these two riders.
Only two other apprentices … Jake Molloy (two winners) and Casey Waddell (one winner) have ridden a Metropolitan winner in Queensland this season.
More Racing News
Queensland tilt among the options for Neasham 2YO
A belated shot at the Brisbane winter carnival is among the options for lightly raced filly Aemelius after she upstaged a handy field of two-year-olds to win the opening race at Randwick. Having just her second start, the Annabel Neasham-trained youngster, who started at $12 with betting sites, went back to last...
The Black Cloud descends on Randwick rivals
Having begun the day questioning how well The Black Cloud had come back this campaign, Joe Pride ended it by labelling her a stakes-class horse in the making. The Proven Thoroughbreds filly took her record to three wins from four starts with a rousing first-up victory in Saturday’s Taylor Construction Handicap (1000m)...
Sargent hoping Casual Connection can earn a Brisbane Cup berth
John Sargent is crossing his fingers that Casual Connection’s narrow victory at Randwick will give him a sufficient ratings boost to squeeze into the field for the Brisbane Cup. A renowned trainer of stayers, Sargent saddled up two runners in the two-mile race last year, Essential Sky who finished fifth and Outlandos ninth, and...
Scarlet Oak wins Roses to earn G1 Queensland Oaks favouritism
Chris Waller has labelled Scarlet Oak a “rising star” after the lightly raced filly staked her Group One Queensland Oaks claims with a classy win over stablemate Mare Of Mt Buller in the Doomben Roses. The filly has come a long way in a short time, making a winning debut in New Zealand in...
Le Ferrari leads home Lindsay Park quinella at Sandown
A return to Sandown has paid a dividend for Lindsay Park galloper Le Ferrari who led home a one-two finish for Ben, Will and J D Hayes. Le Ferrari over-ran stablemate Rheinberg to claim the Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Handicap (1400m) on Saturday. Ridden by Ben Allen, Le Ferrari ($10) overhauled Rheinberg ($7.50) in the final...
Bois D’Argent upsets rivals in G1 Doomben Cup
Trainer Annabel Neasham has landed a second victory in the Doomben Cup with a horse she said was well over the odds. Imported galloper Bois D’Argent held off a late bid from New Endeavour to follow the win of Zaaki for Neasham in 2021 in the Group 1 2000m weight-for-age contest. Ridden by Blake...
Trip test next for Lady In Pink
A return to Sandown has brought out the best in the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Lady In Pink who will now be stepped up in trip for a race at Flemington. Lady In Pink took out the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1600m) on Saturday and will head to Flemington for a 2000m...
Timely Sandown double for Dan O’Sullivan
The Ballarat stable of Dan O’Sullivan is enjoying a purple patch of form in the metropolitan area which has included a race-to-race double at Sandown. O’Sullivan welcomed back to the winner’s enclosure Way Up High in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Handicap (2400m) before Matriarch Rose took out the Stow Solutions Handicap (1600m) on Saturday. The...
Final roll of the dice for Classic prospects at Randwick
An 1800-metre three-year-old race at Randwick is set to have a bearing on the upcoming Classic races in Queensland with the majority of runners holding a nomination for either the Oaks or Derby. Seventeen horses, four of them emergencies, have been accepted for Saturday’s Wilson Asset Management Handicap and only Invincible...
Resolute reason for Waller filly to come up Roses
It carries Group Two status, but The Roses will have a distinct Group One feel for trainer Chris Waller as he prepares to saddle up the first Australian runner for John Stewart’s Resolute Racing. The American business tycoon created headlines earlier this year when he announced his intention to make an audacious...