Trainer Robert Heathcote marvelled at the longevity of Jopa after the eight-year-old scored another win at Doomben.
Heathcote started the day with three runners in the Sprite Handicap but ended up with only Jopa after a downgrading of the track rating saw him scratch Saluter and Lauterbrunnen.
Ridden a perfect race by Bridget Grylls, Jopa ($4) beat Timeless Prince ($3.80) by a neck with a head to Zahas Ace ($26) in a driving finish.
Heathcote said while Jopa had won his 11th race on Saturday there were more wins in store.
“He really is a marvel. Jopa and my star Buffering seem to be getting younger rather than older,” Heathcote said.
“I made the right call keeping Jopa in the race as he loves Doomben and the wet tracks.
“I hope it keeps raining and we will find another open handicap for him.”
Caloundra apprentice Sarah Eilbeck rode her first Saturday metropolitan winner at her first attempt when Burleigh Bullet ($8) led all the way to win the Makers Mark Handicap.
Eilbeck, who is originally from England, rode trackwork for several years after moving to Australia and decided to give race riding a try 18 months ago.
She has had great success and has ridden 75 winners.
“I hope to get more rides in the city of a Saturday and I have been getting good support from Sunshine Coast trainers,” she said.
Plans to keep handy galloper Kraftwerk away from the major racing carnivals got off to a winning start in the Coke Zero Handicap.
Kraftwerk was transferred from Melbourne’s Troy and Leon Corstens to premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan while the autumn carnival is in full swing.
“The plan is for him to stay here and then go back to Melbourne during the winter carnival. In effect we will reverse carnival hop,” Gollan said.
“Right from the first time he came into the stable I thought he would be ideal for Brisbane.”
Another apprentice James Orman showed why he is leading the jockeys’ premiership with a clever ride to win on giant stayer Meteorologist ($21) in the Canadian Club Handicap.
“We were back last and I thought he couldn’t win from there with the pace a walk. So I whipped around them to lead and he kept going,” Orman said.
Meteorologist stands more than 17 hands and had been handicapped by slowly run races at his previous two starts.
