International flavour to ‘triple dead heat’ day at Stony Creek

IT WAS something of a league of nations in the jockeys’ room at Stony Creek on Sunday with journeyman French hoop Valentin Le Boeuf and Irish Group 1 winning jockey Shane Foley both plying their trade with some limited success on the day.

Ironically, the Irishman, who has experienced Group One victories in both the UK and France, including on Barnavara in the Group 1 Prix De L’Opera at Longchamp in October last year, saddled up the Boy from Oz in the first at Stony Creek.

The Amy and Ash Yargi trained three-year-old was a creditable third but set something of a pattern of placings for Foley on the day, second in the third race on Farnanheit for Anthony and Sam Freedman, a very narrow second on Scream against Stony specialist Juice Box and another close-up second on Remigius in the last.

There was less than a length in three winners for Foley on the day.

And the Frenchman, Le Boeuf, who only came to Australia “for a bit of a look” two years ago, after a working holiday to the French territory of New Caledonia, managed a third on Lord Paramount for Sale trainer Sharyn Trolove.

Le Boeuf, who had his most-recent race win in Australia at Pakenham, over 2500 metres on Diamond Flash One, for Frankie Stockdale last week, walked the track between the third and fourth races to get a read on the going.

“It feels better five or six out from the rail coming to the finish line, we will see what that does,” he said.

And it was hardly surprising to see four female jockeys; Sheridan Clarke, Jackie Beriman, Melea Castle and Zoe Waller win four of the seven races at Stony Creek on Saturday after the salubrious surrounds the club has installed in the female jockey’s room.

The club has moved its office to the former totalizator betting area and refurbished the old office with new change rooms for the female jockeys and a bathroom and showers that would do a 5-star international hotel proud.

Unfortunately for Sheridan Clarke, her mount Ripplebrook was a late scratching at the barrier prior to the last race after it reared up in the stalls, reportedly taking fright in the gusty winds, dumping Clarke out the back of the gates and being ruled unfit to ride after the shake up.

But other than that mishap, it was a great day of racing with punters’ favourite, Bob the Horse, and jockey Zoe Waller holding off the fast finishing Remigius to win the feature race of the day, the $22,000 Rod Carmichael Handicap over 1600 metres, commemorating the Triple Dead Heat at Stony Creek in that race on January 23, 1987.

Race results

• Race 1. 1st number 4. Vellasglory, trainer Paul Koumis, jockey Brad Rawiller, 2nd number 3. Saxon Blood, 3rd number 5. Boy From Oz, margin 3.75 lengths.
• Race 2. 1st number 6. News Travels Fast, trainer David & Coral Feek, jockey Jake Noonan, 2nd number 3. Elite Pete, 3rd number 8. Pari Mo. Margin short-half head.
• Race 3. number 4. O'mosa, trainer Doug Harrison, jockey Sheridan Clarke, 2nd number 8. Farnanheit, 3rd number 6. Sea Warning. Margin two lengths.
• Race 4. 1st number 6. Trak Chiller, trainer Michael Harrison, jockey Jackie Beriman, 2nd number 11. Stewart, 3rd number 1. Finance Shogun. Margin short-half head.
• Race 5. 1st number 1. Juice Box, trainer Rebecca Kelly, jockey Bailey Kinninmont, 2nd number 2. Scream, 3rd number 7. Lord Paramount. Margin, short-half head.
• Race 6. Number 3. Tactfull, trainer Rory Hunter, jockey Melea Castle, 2nd number 6. Jakk's Fortune, 3rd number 4. Unquestionably. Margin 1.5 lengths.
• Race 7. Number 6. Bob The Horse, trainer John Moloney, jockey Zoe Waller, 2nd number 10. Remigius, 3rd number 15. Kyokushin. Margin 0.35 length.