Jamie Kah’s belief in Chain Of Lightning, combined with the lack of a ‘good Derby chance’, are what led Melbourne’s leading rider to choose Rosehill over Flemington this weekend.
Kah will partner the Peter Moody-trained mare in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m), which is run on the same day that the Victoria Derby, Coolmore Stud Stakes and Empire Rose Stakes, all Group 1 events, will be run at Flemington.
Kah admitted to agonising over where to ride, but elected to go where she thought she was a better chance of winning a big race.
“It wasn’t an easy decision but I just thought I had a really good chance up in Sydney with Moody’s horse,” she said.
“You’ve got to go where your trainers want you to go and I didn’t really think I had a good Derby chance so that was the decision that was made.”
Chain Of Lightning will be racing for a $5.25 million winner’s purse in the Golden Eagle, for which she is a $9 chance with TAB.
The daughter of Fighting Sun booked her place in the race with a dominant win in the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 15, which took her record to six wins from seven starts.
The time she was beaten was when third the start prior in the Group 3 How Now Stakes (1200m), when Kah was aboard, and the star jockey said she learnt a lot from that race.
“The time I rode her and got beaten on her I think the race just didn’t suit her,” Kah said.
“There wasn’t as much pressure – she’s really good when there’s a hot speed – like the other day (in the Tristarc) and I’m just really looking forward to riding her,” Kah said.
“She’s talented and I’m excited Moody asked me to go up and ride her.”
Moody has two of the leading contenders for this year’s Golden Eagle with Kiwi recruit I Wish I Win sharing $4.50 favouritism with imported galloper Light Infantry.
