Melbourne Cup winning jockey Jye McNeil walked away from Morphettville with a treble – but not the win many expected.
The star rider came to Adelaide expecting to win with Steinem in the Group 3 Auraria Stakes, but the boom filly could only manage fourth spot.
Settling at the rear of the field Steinem tracked into the race well before the turn but just could not reel in the horses closer to the inside, with the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Tyche Goddess getting the bob in a busy finish ahead of local filly Ecumenical who was brave in defeat with the blinkers on
“I didn’t think this horse was out of the race at all,” winning jockey Thomas Stockdale said.
“They went hard early, it was a muddlingly run race, (but) we got a smooth run through them – and what a filly.
“Things didn’t go right last start. This is my first Group winner, it’s pretty special.”
McNeil produced a brilliant ride to win the Listed Redelva Stakes a tick over 30 minutes earlier aboard Muntaseera, who saved ground between horses before powering through and running down a brave Smokin’ Val with Litchfield County grabbing third.
Boom SA filly Instant Celebrity ticked a few boxes in fourth spot first-up from a spell despite being an alarming drifter in betting.
“It was a fantastic win, she had to do it the tough way,” McNeil said.
“She sprinted fantastic when the gaps appeared in the straight.”
Earlier, McNeil scored an impressive win on stablemate Generation, who justified his favouritism on debut to win by 2.1 lengths.
“He felt untapped,” McNeil said.
“When I fully asked for an effort in the straight, he extended really well and I felt I had something up my sleeve.”
And McNeil added a third win to his day when favourite Deep Dive won the last race.
Earlier, Kemalpasa made a one-act affair of the Group 3, R N Irwin Stakes (1100m).
Taken straight to the lead, the Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained star gave nothing a look in, as he raced away from rivals to stamp his claims at next month’s Group 1 Goodwood.
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IMAGE: Thomas Stockdale after winning today’s Auraria Stakes aboard Tyche Goddess. PHOTO: Atkins Photography.
