Apprentice Katelyn Mallyon’s affinity with consistent mare Placement continued at Flemington when she booted her home a winner for the third time this year.
Trainer Danny O’Brien said he would love a stable of full of horses as genuine as Placement but also acknowledged Mallyon, who claims three kilos, as having a happy knack of getting the best out of the Savabeel four-year-old.
“She just seems to go well for Katelyn,” O’Brien said.
Mallyon won on Placement at Sandown on January 28 and Moonee Valley on March 16 before her victory in Saturday’s Lort Smith Animal Hospital Handicap (2000m) at Flemington.
She has also been placed at her other four rides on the mare.
O’Brien part-owns Placement and described her a “a real favourite” in the stable.
“She has been in work all season and that was her 17th run for the campaign,” O’Brien said.
“She thrives being in the stable, loves coming to the races and you see her ears prick up as soon as she gets on track.
“You can tell how much she enjoys it by how much she puts into it.”
Placement took her earnings to more than $400,000 when she fought on strongly to score a three-quarter length win over Epingle and Manila Jewel.
It was only her fourth win in 34 starts but she has been placed another 16 times.
Her stakes placings include a second to Brazilian Pulse in the 2010 Group Two Wakeful Stakes and third to Brazilian Pulse in the 2010 VRC Oaks.
“She is one we will hang on to and hopefully breed a nice horse out of,” O’Brien said.
