Victorians Matt Laurie and Scott Cameron have celebrated career-firsts this weekend with both training their first Sydney metropolitan winners at Rosehill.
Laurie brought up the milestone with Amberite in Saturday’s Prague Yearlings Selling Now Handicap (1800m), before Cameron followed suite with Elouyou in the Racing For Good On July 13 Handicap (1400m).
The latter’s victory also proved a reunion of sorts for Cameron and his childhood friend, top Sydney jockey Jason Collett, who was entrusted with the ride.
Elouyou was due to run at Randwick last Saturdy but the meeting was washed out, giving Cameron and Collett extra time to catch up.
“I’d better thank the Colletts, they have looked after me for the last week and I’m just absolutely rapt,” Cameron said.
“It’s just a great thrill to be here and to get a good Saturday winner.”
Laurie was also delighted to get the monkey off his back with Amberite after a brace of Group 1 placings with Coleman during the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
Coleman was a narrow runner-up to Lady Of Camelot in the Golden Slipper before finishing third behind Manaal and Traffic Warden in the Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Laurie said the lucrative prizemoney in Sydney tempted him to bring Amberite north and his gamble paid dividends.
“There was a 2000-metre (benchmark) 78 race in Melbourne worth $80,000 on a weekend, but I said to the owners, ‘he is going better than that’,” Laurie said
“So, we made the decision to tackle this race (on Saturday) with more prizemoney on offer.
“This is my first winner in Sydney, I’m happy to get that win.”
Laurie also gave an update on Coleman, who he hopes can showcase his credentials as an Everest candidate in his opening spring starts.
The colt has managed a top-three finish in five of his six runs to date, the only blot to his copybook an unplaced effort in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
“We have the Moir and the Manikato (Stakes) in Melbourne, I’m tipping if he can win one of them, then he would be a good choice for someone in The Everest,” Laurie said.
