Did you hear the one about the horse trainer, the schoolteacher, and the jockey?
You should have been at Thursday’s Bendigo races, and you would have heard all about it.
It started with Con Kelly entering his horse Spanish Snitzel in the $35,000 BM64 Silks Function Centre Handicap over 1600m and almost ended when apprentice jockey Alana Kelly delivered the perfect ride for the win.
Speaking to media post-race, Con Kelly made it clear to the interviewer he was not related to his jockey de jour.
“No,” he laughed. “She is not my daughter, she’s just another Kelly”.
Which also had the jockey grinning when she stepped up to the microphone. She might not be his daughter, but she did remind Kelly their association stretched back much further than a few races.
“No,” she also laughed. “I am not his daughter, but his son was one of my teachers at school.”
Game, set and match, Ms Kelly. Making it two wins for her on the day.
There may not be any genetic connection with the Kellys, but they are incredibly sympatico – especially when it comes to Spanish Snitzel and most remarkably when the four-year-old gelding is at the Bendigo track.
Where he has won three of his four starts there.
“It’s a mighty effort and he seems to really know where he is when we come here – I just wish he would do it at Swan Hill,” Kelly, still laughing, said.
“But today, this will do.
“Last start at home he had a wide barrier, and although he had one here again today, at the previous start he got caught wide and covered a bit of extra ground – and stayed there.
“He’s got wheels in his head, but Alana rode him perfectly – she couldn’t have done a better job. I’m lucky to be able to get her.”
She said she was lucky to get the ride.
“His past couple of runs have been really good, so for him to step out today, there was the expectation he would run well, but even so it was good to see him get his nose down,” the jockey said.
Spanish Snitzel now has four wins and eight places from 29 starts – although Thursday was the horse’s first win in 13 starts, his last win over 1600m on a soft five at, yes, you guessed it, Bendigo, and he has collected $154,434 in prizemoney.
The Kelly double act hoped to turn it into a big double on the day with Jagged Edge – which coincidentally has also had 29 starts for the Kelly stable for four wins and five placings (and $192,365 in prizemoney) – two races later.
The Kelly gang had come together at the Swan Hill Cup Carnival for a win with Jagged Edge and were looking for more, but in the end the best they could do was a third.
But nothing could take away from Kelly’s dazzling ride on Spanish Snitzel.
Trapped at the rear of the field early, she plugged away looking for any openings, and as they passed the halfway mark still looked well out of it.
When the pace quickened the gaps started appearing, and when the $3.40 favourite Storm King started its run down the middle of the track, Kelly let it tow her into the race and then got Spanish Snitzel to switch on that turn of foot for which he is recognised, catching Storm King near the lone to win by half a length.
Punters would have been delighted with his $7.50 payout – but not as delighted as those smart enough to listen to form guru Ben Askari on racing.com who rated the Snitzel one of the best chances of the day at 30/1.
