Jockey Christian Reith has been given a great opportunity to notch his first Group One success with the booking to ride in-form sprinter Ortensia in New Zealand.
Reith has been called upon to partner the last-start Winterbottom Stakes winner with trainer Paul Messara confirming the mare will head across the Tasman for the Group One Railway Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
“Obviously this is a great opportunity to try to notch my first Group One up,” Reith said.
“I’m just rapt to get the opportunity and I think she’ll be a force to hold out.”
Reith partnered Ortensia in her two barrier trials ahead of her spring campaign.
Darren Beadman rode the mare to a first-up win at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week before her regular jockey Craig Williams jumped back aboard for the Group One Winterbottom Stakes in Perth last month.
With Williams having a stint in Japan, it paved the way for Reith to get the ride for the New Zealand assignment.
Ortensia is also set to run in the Group One Telegraph Handicap (1200m) in New Zealand at Trentham on January 21.
“Obviously Craig Williams got first refusal, he’s done a wonderful job on her, but I was more than happy to trial the horse for Paul when she came back into work,” Reith said.
“The horse was flying when she was coming back and I’m really looking forward to getting the chance on her on race day.
“I’ve only ridden her in those two trials but she felt absolutely awesome. I said to Paul `She couldn’t feel any better’, and she’s backed that up with her wins at Flemington and in the Group One in Perth.”
Messara has been a big supporter of Reith’s since the jockey returned to Sydney racing early last year.
And Reith, who sits equal third on the Sydney jockeys’ premiership, often makes the trip to country tracks such as Scone and Muswellbrook to ride for the likes of Messara as well.
He said the hours spent travelling to those Hunter Valley meetings pays off with opportunities such as the one he has been given on Ortensia.
“You’ve got to persist at it and if you can have a bit of success and luck then the better rides come,” he said.
Ortensia is having her first preparation for Messara having been formerly trained by Tony Noonan in Victoria.
The six-year-old has won 10 of her 29 starts with prizemoney of just over $1.5 million.
AAP TURF
