Veteran jockey Jim Byrne is confident he can claim his fourth Brisbane jockeys’ premiership after winning the Listed Brisbane Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.
Byrne produced a perfect ride to land Hopfgarten ($5) an easy winner over Perfect Punch ($41) by 3-1/4 lengths with a short half head to Kurtley ($10) in third.
The 44-year-old won the last of his three premierships in 2007-08 but his win took him to second place in this season’s title on 24 wins – five behind Luke Tarrant.
“It has been a good effort by Luke and he showed how much he has improved by winning the Villiers in Sydney today. But as long as I stay fit and well I give myself a chance of running Luke down,” Byrne said.
“It is very even here in Brisbane and luck always plays a part. Hopefully, I can pick up some nice rides over the rest of the summer carnival.
“Actually I should have won four premierships but I lost one on a count back.”
Hopfgarten’s win gave trainer Rob Heathcote a boost for his star Buffering’s run in the Hong Kong International Sprint at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Stable representative Michael O’Leary said Heathcote was listening from Hong Kong and had been confident about Hopfgarten’s chances.
“I know he ran last at his last start but he ran into a dead-end and should have run a place,” O’Leary said.
“And he had a minor injury problem at his previous start to that.
He said the stable had received a boost when Rudy won the Villiers in Sydney earlier in the day.
“Hopfgarten had beaten Rudy three runs back so we knew he would be hard to beat here,” O’Leary said.
Heathcote is now likely to set Hopfgarten for the Bernborough Handicap at Toowoomba on New Year’s Eve.
