IF Thomas Anton Coffey had been born on May 2 last year, instead of May 1, his father Harry would not have won the $300,000 Warrnambool Cup this year.
Because the family-focused Swan Hill jockey was always going to take the day off to be with Thomas, wife Tayla and family, to celebrate his little boy’s first birthday.
After winning a race on Tuesday’s opening day of the three-day Warrnambool Cup carnival, Coffey immediately announced he would not be racing on the Wednesday because of the birthday party.
But with a cheeky grin on his face, he declared: “I’ll be back Thursday, to win the Cup.”
And he was.
And he did.
It gave former jumps jockey Shane Jackson the biggest victory of his training career to date, crushing the competition in the listed Warrnambool Cup with Mystery Island.
The training win came four years after Jackson rode Ciaron Maher’s Ablaze to Grand Annual glory on the same day.
If the colours Coffey carried to victory in the Warrnambool Cup looked familiar, its because Mystery Island’s blue, white and red colours were carried to Melbourne Cup fame by Americain in 2010.
Meanwhile, back in the present day, the Japanese-bred seven-year-old gelding was a lacklustre $14 opportunity after finishing ninth in the Mornington Cup at his previous start, but looked an odds-on superstar when Coffey gave him the green light in the straight at the ’Bool.
The rain-affected track had been playing havoc with fields all carnival, so by race nine on day three, picking the firmest footing was a lottery.
Before the race Jackson said he was concerned by the softening track, with his stayer usually better on firmer footing.
After Coffey settled Mystery Island in a tricky spot a fair way back on the rails, Jackson’s worry meter must have been going into overdrive, as another local, the longshot bolter Mi Rock Aly ($21) kept the field running.
But when most jockeys headed for the outside in search of better running, Coffey and Mystery Island were given a gilt-edged invitation to take the shortcut to the front.
And in a few strides it was all over bar the shouting as Coffey gave the gelding his head and he hit the line almost five lengths clear, with Coffey standing high in the irons and pumping the air in victory.
“It was a great result, I have been riding the horse in all its prep, in some really strong races, and it’s been flying,” Coffey said.
“And every time I get on him he fills you with confidence, he feels great going to the start, he looks amazing.
“Not only Shane, but Lindsay (Smith) and his team have done a massive job, and it is very rewarding the stable can win the Wangoom and the Cup – an amazing feat.”
Coffey said he thought if he could “just get my fellow to travel, and be confident for as long as he can, we might have something left at the end – and that he did”.
He said Mystery Island “knew where he was, he was on his home track, and he let rip”.
“As I said, it was a great performance from Shane, Lindsay and the team and how special is it to have Jacko, his wife and his kids here for it – how amazing,” Coffey added.
“I love riding winners for good people, especially with the whole family involved, and how awesome that they’ve won their home cup.
“And I always love winning a country cup – although I haven’t won a Swan Hill one yet, my home cup, so that’s really starting to annoy me.
“But as I said, I love riding winners for families involved in racing, because I am from that scenario with my dad Austy training, and battling away, so I just love riding winners for people like us.
“My dad and Lindsay are quite good mates and he comes and stays with us in Swan Hill. In country racing there are connections everywhere.
“And when you have moments like this to share, well it just bloody awesome.”
